The universe of the four gods
by Yusagi
Summary: UPDATE Ch10: What price must be paid to save the Priestess of Suzaku? An AU variation of the manga tale...what if Yui and Miaka had stayed in the book with out returning for cram school that first time, how much would change? YT MH
1. Young Ladies of Legend

Disclaimer: I don't own FY...or it would go like this ;p

AN: I haven't read all of the manga yet, but I basically have a good idea of what happens, Spoilers and all that, you know. This is basically an A/U 'What if fate had twisted differently' or ' What if someone had been looking out for the two girls?' fic, and very M/H..I try my best for exact wordings, in the non-A/U parts, and in-characterness all around.

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_The Universe of the four gods_

**Chapter One:_ Young ladies of legends_**

" Wow! I don't believe it!!" The girl laughed happily, staring hungrily at the feast before her, " All my favorates!!!"

Happily, she lunged at the table, gchopsticks readied, but when she touched the food, it faded away.

" Huh?...What the..." She gasped, what was going on?!!

_" Give up, Miaka Yuki, eating is a waste of energy for students studying for their highschool exams."_ A voice came from nowhere,_" You must only study!"_

Quickly, she looked around, searching for the source of the voice, and to her horror, she saw innumerable teachers, wraithe-like forms, closing in on her.

_" Now you must study!"_ They gloated, _" Recite all the math formulas! List every single english word starting with 'a'!"_

" Answer Yuki!!!"

" G---Give me back my _FOOD_!!!!" She screeched, " You awful ghosts! Give me back my pizza, my noodles, my cake, my etc!!"

As she went on a panicked frenzy, kicking and beating on the wraiths, she heard a familiar voice.

" MIAKA!!"

Suddenly, the ghosts where gone, and she was standing in her classroom, desk hefted above her head, and her best friend, Yui, sitting beside her.

" That _was_ the teacher!!" She sighed.

Confused, Miaka looked down, and saw her teacher, lying unconscious on the floor.

" What?!" She laughed nerviously, " What do ya know, a dream!"

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

" Jeez, I got into trouble _big_ time..." She complained, as she slouched in her booth at Matt-donalds

" What'd you expect? We've got entrance exams this spring, and you're drifting off in class." Yui sighed, rolling her cobalt-blue eyes, as she sat beside her. Yui, of course, had finished her meal, she never ate much, she had a perfect figure, and beautiful blonde hair, even though she had cut it to avoid attracting attention from all the boys at school.

" _That's right...._ Aren't you trying to get into Yotsubadai highschool?" Miaka's friend, Morin, who had shoulder-legth black hair, said.

" UMPH! Ah hawent toh anyun wet, hut-" Miaka started, her mouth stuffed with both a Big-Mat, and several french-fries.

" Talk or eat! Make up your mind!" Morin sighed.

Quickly, Miaja scanned the restaurant, and pointed at a pair of school girls, wearing sophisticated-looking uniforms.

" The school that uses that uniform?" Fu, her plump, blonde-haired friend asked, following where she pointed.

Realization dawned on her friend's faces, and they leapt up in surprise.

" That's Jonan high school! The top school in the city!!" Fu exclaimed, pointing at the older girls.

" You and your GPA should have a meeting of the minds." Morin said, spinning her finger in circles, pointing at her own head, " Why didn't you tell Yui? She's taking the exam for Jonan."

" Well, no wonder, I'm the genius, and she's the dunce." Yui sighed, leaning her chin on her wrist hautily, and rolling her eyes, " Obviously."

" Are you _ Really_ my best friend?!!" Miaka growled, but she knew her friend was only giving her a hard time, Yui had known all along that Miaka was going to Jonan highschool for her mother's sake, " Hey, Yui, I need to copy your notes from part of today's class that I slept through."

" Miaka, aren't you going to eat anymore?" Morin asked, surprised.

" Nope! Got cram school to attend! I'm not hungry anyway! You finish it off!" She said, running out of the restaurant, " See ya!"

" Not hungry...? Shall we asess the damage here?" Fu said, stunned.

" But, why is Miaka going for...she said wanted to attend Yotsubadai high school with us." Morin wondered.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Chased by dozens of teachers in your dream? What's that mean?" Yui asked, slightly amused at her friend's wild imagination.

" Lately, I've been staying up late studying..." Miaka said, as she furiously scribbled down notes on her book.

" I know you're doing this for your mom, but you gotta take it easy." Yui said, a note of concern for her friend in her voice.

At her words, Miaka paused, staring off into space, remembering her mother's words.

_ When she said, " I can't wait to see you in that Jonan high school uniform" I couldn't tell her that I wanted to go to Yotsubadai..._ Her pencil slipped from her fingers, and clattered to the floor, _ There's no way I'll get into Jonan_

She jumped slightly, as her pencil clattered to the floor, and she scrambled after it as it rolled along the tile.

When she grabbed it finally, a sign on a previously unnoticed door caught her eye, " Do Not Enter" above the door was a small sign that read ' Restricted private library' the door was open slightly, as if it were beckoning...

" Miaka, cram school will be starting soon!" Yui said from behind her.

" What's this room here??" Miaka asked, as she walked up to it, as if in a trance.

As the girls stepped inside the dark and dusty room, the floor boards started shaking violently.

Screaming, the girls clung to the doorway.

" S-some kind of earthquake?!" Yui whispered, looking around.

A book slid out of it's unstable perch, and onto the floor, drawing Miaka's attention.

" Look at all these books, they look pretty rare." Yui said, flipping through random books, " We could make a killing selling this stuff!"

Mezmerised, Miaka picked up the fallen books, anf flipped through the old, worn, pages, " Hey! Look at this, Yui!"

" Hm? The Universe of the four gods? What the heck?" Yui said, grabbing half of it, " It looks like a japanese translation of some chinese legend...lemme see..."

As the girls read the inscribed words, they seemed to ring in their minds.

_ Herein contains the tale of a young lady and her quest to gather the seven constellations of Suzaku together._

" What's a Suzaku?" Miaka asked, puzzeled.

" I dunno, some sort of peacock, I guess..." Yui replied, as she continued to read, entranced.

_ And if you, the esteemed reader, should read to the stories end, the spell continued within this book shall bestow upon you the powers of the herione, and grant you your wish._

" What's a Suzaku??" Miaka repeated.

" I dunno, this has got to be some kind of spell book."

_ For indeed, the moment the page is turned, the story will become a reality._

" What's a Suzaku--" Miaka started, when Yui cut her off, by knocking her off of her feet.

" I don't know already!! You deaf?!!" She yelled angrily

Composing herself, Miaka got up and brushed herself off, "So--so if you read it, your wish comes true? sign me up!"

" Yeah right, and I'm the pope in rome."

Suddenly, another earthquake, fiercer than the last, shook the entire building, knocking books over, onto the now-screaming girls.

As the two of them cringed, waiting for it to stop, Miaka peeked an eye open...it had apparently stopped.

" Yui...it looks like it's over." Miaka sighed, smiling.

" Good! I just hate earthquakes." her friend said.

Suddenly, the girls' surroundings dawned on them, they were no longer in the library, now they were in a barren wasteland, sparcely thickened with bare trees.

For a moment, they could only stare in slient shock.

" Where...are..we...??" Miaka whispered.

" Miaka..." Yui started, then elbowed Miaka on the head, hard, "....Does this hurt??"

" _ 'COURSE IT DOES!!!!!!!_" Miaka screamed, delivering a left-hook to her friend's jaw.

" Oww! If this is a dream...it's a dream that _ hurts_!!" Yui complained, " But then...where are we?!"

" Okay! I can handle the library being gone, but there's no Haagen dazs, mister donuts, or Denny's here!" Miaka panicke4d.

" Is food all you ever think about?!" Yui spat.

Suddenly, an arm grabbed Yui from behind, and a strange man flipped her up onto his shoulder, causing her to scream in shock.

" Yui?!!" Miaka cried.

" She's a jewel!" The man laughed to his cohort.

" We'll make a killing off her!" the other one, with a broad face, said.

" Who are these guys?" Miaka wondered, as they twirled around.

" Nice outfit! Are you guys dancers?"

" Why, you little twirp!!" The one that had grabbed Yui snapped, " We're slavers!!"

" Miaka! You _could_ help." Yui growled, beating on the man's shoulder, to no avail.

" What?!!" Miaka gasped, slavers?! But slavery was outlawed!

Without thinking, she ran up, and body slammed the strange man, knocking the wind out of him, and sending Yui flying to the ground.

" Go Yui! _run_!!!" Miaka yelled, grabbing the other, standing, slaver.

" Miaka!" Yui cried, as she hit the ground.

" Hurry!!"

" Let go of me! You little brat!!" The man grabbed, giving her a harsh slap.

" Run! _Yui!!!!_" Miaka begged, bracing herself to be hit harder, but the blow never came.

In shock, Miaka looked up to see a young, dark-haired man, standing behind the slaver, and clutching the man's upraised arm.

" Stop it!" He ordered cooly, he was like a fairytale prince!

" Shaddup and get-" The slaver started, but cut off in a cry of agony, as the strange man broke his captured arm with a twist of his wrist.

" My arm! You broke my _arm_!!!" the man cried, scrambling backwards.

" Let's get outta here!!" the other one said, stumbling up, and helping his companion escape.

The two girls stared up at their newfound hero silently for a moment, before he turned around and looked at them.

Some sort of strange chinese writing was glowing on his forehead, _ What's with this guy...he's got something written on his forehead.._

" Are you all right? You're bleeding..." he asked, pointing at Miaka's cut lip.

" Th-thank you so much!" Yui stuttered, as she handed Miaka a napkin.

" Skip the thanks...I'll take money!" He said suddenly, holding his hands out expectantly.

So shocked by his sudden change, the girls were unable to speak for a moment, only standing with their mouths hanging open silently.

" We don't have a cent." Yui said, looking towards Miaka.

" We used it up at the burger joint." Miaka shrugged, unsure of what to do.

" What? You're broke?!" The man complained, shocked, then leaned forward, waggling his finger, and 'tsking', " Don't you ladies know that money makes the world go 'round?! I'm not giving out any free rides!"

" Nobody asked you to save us!" Miaka yelled frustrated, at the boy's retreating form.

" Poor folks bug me! Later!!" He called back, waving.

" W-wait! Where are we?!!" She cried, but the boy was already out of sight.

" Hmph, some hero." Yui complained, looking around the wasteland.

" N-now what do we do, Yui?! Where do we go??"

" Well....the slaver guys were pointed this way..." Yui said, pointing towards the east, " but that boy ran south, and the men are probably headed to a slaving village."

" There could be food where the boy went!!" Miaka finished exictedly.

" Well..." Yui sighed, shaking her head, " I---Miaka! _ WAIT!!!!!_"

An hour later:

" I'm sooo tired...I think I'm going to pass out right here!" Miaka complained, trudging slowly along the path.

" We've only been walking an hour!" Yui hissed, sick of her non-stop whining.

" L-look!" Miaka said, pointing her finger into the distance, " Matt-donalds!!"

" Huh?" Yui mumbled, following where she was pointing, there were some sort of structures in the distance....a city!!

" Hurry Miaka! Before sunset!" Yui pleaded, pulling her friend.

" So...exhausted...must....rest..."

" Th-the sooner we get there, the sooner we eat!"

Suddenly, Miaka's eyes lit up, and she raced past her blonde friend, calling behind her, " Hurry! What's the hold up, Yui?!?"

Sighing, Yui followed after.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

As they walked up to the large archway entrance to the city, Miaka collapsed onto Yui's shoulder, " Can't....breathe.." she panted.

" Quit hyperventalating! We're there!!" Yui growled, shaking her off.

" We are?! Awright!!" Miaka laughed, brightening.

" Wow...you sure got better all of a sudden." Yui mumbled sarcastically.

" Halt! Who are you?!" The gate-guard asked roughly.

" W-we are just travellers...please, do you know where one might find a suitable inn?" Yui asked.

" Hmph, by the look of ya, I'd say the Beggar's Inn...the guard replied, " Down that road there."

" Thank you..." she replied, bowing slightly, and leading Miaka in the direction the soldier had indicated.

" Wow, you sound so...experiences!" Miaka said, laughing.

" It just feels like one of my fantasy novels, so I think we should play along, until we can get back." Yui said calmly.

" We will get back, won't we?"

" Of course!!"

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

" Yuki?! _Yuki?!!_" The man growled.

" Sh-she's not here..." someone said.

" Unbelievable! She'll never make it like this!!!" The man fumed, making a large X on his chart, " I better not see any of this from the rest of you!!!"

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

As the girls walked into the dilapitated building, their noses wrinkled at the awful smells that met them.

" Welcome to beggar's inn, m'ladies..." The innkeep smiled from across a greasy counter, " A room will be one mon."

" W-we don't have any..."

" You don't eh? Well then...I think we can help eachother out."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

" No! _NO NO NO!!_" Miaka cried stubbornly, eyeing the stack of dishes that was ever growing on the tables

" Well...it you don't want that...I need some more waitresses...."

" Alright!!" She sighed, " I'll wash 'em."

" Okay, your room is thirs on right...upstairs."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

" Ohhh...my poor, poor hands..." Miaka whined, nursing her overly dry hands.

" Hand-friendly soap it ain't." Yui agreed, pushing the dresser in front of the door.

" You sure that will keep 'em out??" Miaka asked worriedly, remembering the leering eyes of the other customers.

" Well...unless they're supermen...yeah."

" Wow..." Miaka sighed, " I wonder what mom and Keisuke are doing now...I bet they're worried sick..."

" Don't worry Miaka...We'll find a way back, I promise..." Yui said reasurringly, sitting across from her on the bed.

" Who do you think that boy was..."Miaka whispered.

" I...don't know..." Yui replied, staring into space, " but....I have to see him again..."

" Why?? Do you think he can help us?"

" I....don't know, Miaka....let's...just get some rest."

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AN: Here we go, this is the fastest I've thought up a fic for something I newly began to read/watch/play....

Well....What do you think? R&R please!

~Yusagi Sombermoon


	2. The boy with the demon star

Disclaimer: I don't own FY...or it would go like this ;p 

AN: I haven't read all of the manga yet, but I basically have a good idea of what happens, Spoilers and all that, you know. This is basically an A/U 'What if fate had twisted differently' or ' What if someone had been looking out for the two girls?' fic, and very M/H...I try my best for exact wordings, in the non-A/U parts, and in-characterness all around._ Long book name, long chapter names=good?_

* * *

_The Universe of the four gods _

**Chapter 2:_ The boy with the demon star_**

Miaka yawned as she sat up in her bed, it was barely dawn....why was she awake?? Yui was sleeping soundly in her bed across from Miaka. 

Why was he awake?? She never woke up early! What _insane_ reason could possibly be motivating her to get out of bed, and walk to the window?!! 

Miaka couldn't say, but curiosity soon got the better of her, and she scrambled out of bed to look out the window, something caught her eye...that boy!! She could see him walking into that crowd! 

Miaka glanced back at her sleeping friend, there was no reason to wake Yui...she could bring the boy back to the inn, and wake Yui at a reasonable hour!! 

Carefully, she slid the window open, cringing at it's loud squeak, and slipped onto the ledge, now she was only a hop away! 

o o o o o o o 

Yui opened on eye partially, what was that sound?! 

In the dim light of dawn, Yui saw Miaka's form leap out of the window, and off the shingled ledge....what the heck was she doing?!! 

Yui sighed grudgingly, as she sat up, Miaka was going to _pay_ for waking her up this early! 

o o o o o o o 

Where had he gone?....Miaka looked frantically through the crowd for him, kicking herself for losing sight of him. 

If only she hadn't been so distracted by the carnival.... 

" Excuse me..." Someone said, tapping her shoulder. 

Quickly, Miaka spun around, could it be him?! 

" I just _happened_ to notice you were alone. Me too." A man said enticingly, "Wanna explore the carnival with me?" 

For a moment Miaka was disappointed, but then it dawned on her, _I'm being picked up!!_

She wanted to leap for joy, to dance, it was unbelievable! She thought she was going to cry!! 

" For the first time, in my 15-year-boyfriendless-existence, I'm finally woman enough to attract a man!" 

" Um...hello?" He asked, obviously not happy about being ignored. 

" Oh, I'm sorry..." She sighed, " You see, I'm looking for this guy, he's got 'demon' written on his forehead, and he's gorgeous, but too greedy." 

" Oh! He's a _friend_ of mine, I'll take you to him!" He smiled. 

" Oh, would you?!" This was too good to be true!! 

" Of course, this way." 

o o o o o o o 

" Excuse me sir, did you perhaps see a girl like me, with her hair in buns?" 

" Eh? I see a Bird's lackey with horse hair nuns?" 

" No....I said..." 

" Haven't seen it." 

" Um....then, did you see a boy with 'demon' on his forehead?" 

" What? A Boar with before hand?" He mumbled, " Can't understand a _word_ yer sayin'!!!" 

" N-never mind." Yui sighed , where could either of them be?? 

" Eh? Winter tide??" 

o o o o o o o o 

" Hey, did you hear about that strange girl?" A man said. 

" The one that was asking about a boy with 'demon' written on his head?" another answered. 

The boy's ears perked up, and he jumped in between them, holding his bowl of rice. 

" What? Did she have her hair in buns, or was it short?" 

" Huh? Who the heck are you?" The first one growled, " How should _we _know what she looked like?! 

" Oh! I'm sorry!" He laughed, pulling out two slips of paper, and handing them to the men, " Here's my card, as long as you pay, I'll do just about anything!" 

" A mercenary?" 

" Yup!" He nodded, then headed off, " I really must be going now!" 

o o o o o o 

" Excuse me, exactly where _is_ this friend?" Miaka complained, her already-sore feet making her uncharacteristically suspicious.  
  
" Why, right here." The man said, as he turned a corner. 

Miaka gasped in angry surprise when she turned the corner after him, there were only a group of four thugs, eyeing her greedily. 

" You brought us an exotic one, this time!" One laughed. 

" We'll make a fortune just for the clothes!" He agreed. 

" Y-you tricked me!!" 

" Serves you right, for being so naive." Another replied, snagging the edge of her skirt, and trying to peek under it. 

"_ HANDS OFF!!!!!!_" She growled, smacking him upside his head, he reeled backwards in pain, but the others advanced on her, backing her to a tree. 

_This isn't fair! This is a book!_ She thought to herself miserably, then it clicked, " This is just a book! I can do what I want! And it won't end up on my report card!!...I think..." 

Determinedly, she rolled up her jacket's sleeves, and flexed her biceps, " You see these BCG immunization tracks? Bring it on!" 

With that, she leapt at them, punching one soundly in the nose, breaking it, and sending him to the ground like a rock, then she leapt at another, performing a variation of a 'clothesliner' attack that she had seen in a woman's wrestling match earlier. 

" Who is this girl?!! They don't teach that style at a martial arts school!!" One complained. 

Whether or not she was trained in a martial arts school soon became unimportant though, as she sent all of the stunned ruffians to the floor. 

" Alright! My first fight!" She panted happily, wiping the sweat from her forehead, " Bring on Jessie 'the body' Ventura, I'm ready!" 

Suddenly, something caught her heel. 

o o o o o o o o 

Yui sighed, it was full light and no sign on Miaka....she was _so_ going to kill Miaka when she found her! 

" Hey! What are you doing?!" Someone yelled from ahead of her, " Kill her!!" 

" Miaka?!" 

o o o o o o o o o 

It was a blur, first she was falling, then that guy who had found her first was pinning her down, he was too strong! 

" Help!" She screamed. 

He was about to say something, when his eyes went wide, and he stiffened with shock a moment, before falling limply onto her. 

Her shock only lasted a moment, until she saw the figure of a boy, standing on a roof, silhouetted against the sun. 

He leapt gracefully to the ground, and kicked the unconscious man off of her rather unceremoniously. 

She gave a sigh of relief, _that_ had been an uncomfortable position! 

" Are you okay?" He asked, the sun catching his hair, " Can you-" 

Overcome with joy, she leapt up, and threw her arms around him. 

"Stand..." He finished half-heartedly. 

" I was scared, I was so _scared _!!" She sobbed, her adrenalin rush fading, and the horror of her previous situation finally dawning on her. 

" Hey...." He whispered, patting her softly, " It's okay..." 

Suddenly, the reason she was there clicked in her mind, " Oh yeah, I came here to see you." 

" Why?" He asked, extricating himself from her. 

Why?? She looked up at him, trying to find an answer, and found herself falling into his auburn eyes. 

" No reason? Alright, I'll be going then." He said, walking off... 

Hey! Where was he going?! Just after she _found_ him?!! Without thinking, she leapt at him, sending him flying to the floor. 

" What the heck is wrong with you?!!!" He screamed, his face livid with fury, and what would most likely be a bruise. 

" T-to thank you!" She blurted. 

" Do you have any money?" He asked, standing, and dusting himself off. 

" Well.....no..." 

" Then forget it." 

" But you saved my life twice now, and Yui's, too!" She insisted, clutching his arm, " We want to help!" 

" You'll just get in my way!!" He growled, brushing her off, " Go home!" 

" W-we can't....even if we wanted to..." She whispered, tears forming in her eyes, " Please...let us follow you....we won't be in your way if we help, right?" 

" Look..." He sighed, " If you want to that badly.....see that caravan down the way? The gaudiest one belongs to the emperor, if you could get me two gems from his crown, I'd be rolling in the money!....but since that's impossible–" 

" Is that all?! Okay!" She smiled, pushing past him, and running in the direction he pointed. 

" What are you, some kind of moron?! You think I was _serious_?!! " He cried. 

" If I get them... You'll let me and Yui come with, right?" She smiled back, as she entered the crowd. 

It wasn't hard to find the carriage, several horsemen surrounded it, however, she slipped through them easily–she had to! 

There! Behind that curtain, in the fancy robes! That _had_ to be him! 

Impulsively, she grabbed his arm, as he passed, " Hey! Emperor dude! Can you spare two gems from your crown?!" 

" Who is this?" He asked softly, to an assistant. 

It was then that she noticed how young he was, with such crisply defined features, unfortunately, it was too dark to see much of his fac. 

_Well, better a young and handsome, than old and fat, right?!_

" Hey! Come on! It's not like you need them! Someone saved my life! I need to repay him!" She begged, tugging his sleeve, " Quite being so rude! Sheesh! It;'s not like you're some debutante!" 

" Hey! No one is rude to the emperor!" A horseman exclaimed. 

" Kill her!" Another yelled. 

Suddenly, someone grabbed her. 

o o o o o o o o o 

As the completely, totally, _Officially INSANE _girl ran up to the carriage, he tried rather unsuccessfully to push his way through the crowd. 

As she yanked on the emperor's arm, he tried not to have a heart attack. 

Suddenly, a horse guard drew a sword. 

No! Instinctively, he leapt for her. 

o o o o o o o o 

Before she knew what was happening, the boy was crouching over her, and they were a short distance from the caravan. 

" What's wrong with you?! You wanna get killed?!" He hissed. 

" You...you saved me!" She gasped, " ...but now I have to give you _three_ gems!" 

At her comment, his eyes widened slightly, and he stared at her strangely a moment, then said, " You've got guts, so I'll take you under my wing for awhile, My name's Xong Gui Siu, but you can call me Tamahome..." 

" B-but...you saved my life three times, I have to give you _some_ reward!" 

" Yeah....and I'll take it right now." He said, then gave her a soft kiss on her forehead. 

_It's so warm..._ She thought to herself contentedly. 

" Hey! You!" The guards cried, and Miaka suddenly realized they were surrounded by spearmen. 

o o o o o o o 

" Miaka!" Yui cried, but her voice was lost in the crowd, and all Yui could do was watch, as the strange horseman drew his sword...and then she was gone, poof! She'd just....disappeared!!! 

Frantically, Yui scanned the crowd for her, and soon, her eyes fell upon the boy, crouching over Miaka, just outside of the crowd. 

As she made her way to them, she saw guards encircle them. 

_Oh crap..._

o o o o o o o o o 

Oh no! Now what were they going to do? How would she explain this to Yui?! 

" What the?! She's glowing!!" One cried. 

Huh?.....Miaka looked down at her hands, they were transparent! 

_What's going on? _

She looked up and saw Tamahome's stricken face, barely visible through the library books...library books?! Then she was coming home! 

" No! This isn't fair! I've only just met him! I can't leave Yui!!" She whined, " I said _STOP!!!!!!_" 

o o o o o o o o o o o 

" Your Majesty!" A man cried, " That girl! A red light is eminating from her! Sh-she's disappearing!!" 

Disappearing?...Could it be?... 

" Take the boy and the girl in." He ordered cooly. 

" Yes, your majesty." 

o o o o o o o o 

What was this light? The world was fading away...everything was slowing...and she could see the library...she was going home! 

Miaka was curled in a ball, floating in the air, suddenly, she screamed something, and the library fled. 

Was it a hallucination? 

There were yells coming from the guards, and soon there was a sound, like a crash. 

o o o o o o o o o 

" Wh-who...or what....are you?" Tamahome asked, staring at her wide-eyed. 

" M-me?!? I'm just a normal high-school student!" She cried, " Miaka Yuki!!" 

" You! Come with us!" The men ordered. 

For a moment, she felt Tamahome clutch her tightly, and then there was pain, and darkness. 

o o o o o o o o o o 

As the people dragged Miaka and the boy into a carriage, Yui slipped carefully through the crowd, and scrambled under a carriage whose driver hadn't returned yet. 

As the carriage began to move, she grasped onto a support beam, and pulled herself up into the air, her jacket just barely hanging over the quickly moving ground, which would no doubt grind it to shreds. 

_I can't believe I'm doing this....if I get killed, Miaka is _never_ gonna hear the end of it from me!_

* * *

AN: Tsk tsk....Tama didn't read the script....he's not supposed to touch Miaka....hmm...Maybe should punish him..? insert evil laugh here 

Yeah, I had to include Miaka's quote there....lol, "He's gorgeous but too greedy" best thing she ever said about Tama ;p yeah....and that deaf old man...I don't have any original ideas...T.T side note on Tama: in the beginning, he looked his age, and he was funny, and cute a 'look at da puuupppyyy!!' sort of way...later on....... Why did 'Hori not get a 'reward'? Tama did, and he rescued her less times!...Or did that whole scene when Tama was evil count?....I don't think so.... 

So....I made a 'super Yui'....sue me. After all, her genius can't be all books! 

Yusagi Sombermoon 


	3. Priestess of Suzaku

Disclaimer: Hah, if I owned any of this, I wouldn't be writing here, now would I? 

AN: Hey all. once again, like a phoenix from the ashes, I have arisen. Has it really been that long, now? hm. Note: most double u's or o's are shortened eg. YuukiYuki

* * *

**Chapter 3:_Priestess of Suzaku_**

"What's going on...Keisuke? Where's Daddy?" Miaka asked worriedly.

"Miaka...Mom and Dad are divorced..." Keisuke whispered, looking over his shoulder...there were tears in his eyes.

_Divorst?_

_Why is he so upset?_

She heard muffled sobs from behind Keisuke...her mother was kneeling on the floor, facing the wall.

Stricken, Miaka ran up to her and gave her a hug, "Mommy! Don't cry! I'd do _anything_ to make you happy, so don't look so sad!"

" Oh, but I _am_ so sad." Tamahome said flatly.

Reality rushed back to her like an oncoming train wreck, and Miaka jumped backwards, jerking her arms away from his neck.

" Tamahome! You scared me!"

"_You're_ scared? I'm _terrified_!" He growled, " Here we are, stuck in this dungeon, and you're sleeping like a baby!"

Speechless, Miaka stared up at him silently a moment.

"Anyway, what's with that light? What were you doing?"

Miaka gasped softly, _What am I supposed to do? Say that I am from another world? That this is a book, and Yui and I have been sucked in? He'll never believe me!_

Tamahome took her silence as a refusal to answer, and frowned. "Whatever, so what's up with your mom? You were tossing in your sleep!"

_Mom...I promised I'd make you happy...and now you're probably so worried about me now..._

"Hey..." He said suddenly, "I have_no_ idea what this is about, but you shouldn't be too stubborn, see...all kids care about their parents, and all parents care about their kids."

"Th-thanks..." She smiled, "That really helped me."

"That'll be a 5 mon counseling fee!" He chirped, extending a hopeful hand.

Annoyed, she slapped it away, "Stop it!"

o-o-o-o-o-o

"Sire, we believe she may be an evil spirit! We suggest you execute them at once!" The advisor said.

"Wait...we have reason to suspect..." The emperor said cooly, "That she might be the lady of legends."

"Impossible!"

o-o-o-o-o-o

"Okay! First, we need to get out, I can leave at any time, but I won't abandon you and Yui..." Miaka mumbled, " Let's see if I brought anything I can use..."

As she rustled through her pockets, her hand came into contact with several gum peices.

"Alright! Snacks!" She cried happily, popping two sticks in her mouth, and chowing down.

"Hey! What'd you put in your mouth!" The guard growled, " Spit it out!"

"What?...This?" She asked coyly, pointing at her mouth as she blew a bubble.

"_WAHH!_ What the heck is that!"

She leaned foward, and poked at the bubble, causing it to explode all over her face.

She heard the guard scream, then there was a thump.

"You did it!" She heard Tamahome laugh, shaking her hand.

"Ffank kyuu..." She mumbled, gum still stuck to her face.

o-o-o-o-o-o

Silent as a shadow, Yui slipped through the dank dungeon.

_It's logical to assume that Miaka and that boy would be brought down here, but which cell and for how long..._

There was a scream from further down the hall.

Yui gasped, and ran full speed towards the sound.

As she turned to corner, she froze.

Inside the cell were Miaka and that boy, celebrating.

Miaka's face was covered in some sort of blue goo, and on the floor outside the cell lay an unconscious guard, keyring on his waist.

Cautiously, Yui bent and picked it up.

o-o-o-o-o-o

"You'll be needing these." A familiar voice came from outside the cell.

"_YUI! Isshu!_" Miaka cried, than irritably cleaned the gum off her face.

Yui and Tamahome stood outside the cell, holding the door open.

"Finally, Miaka...come on!" Yui said, turning to follow Tamahome.

"W-wait!"

Soon, they made it to a huge room with an elaborate picture of a peacock-like bird painted on the wall.

"What's that bird?" Miaka gasped.

"That's Suzaku, everyone knows that." Tamahome said. "So they have a shrine here?"

"Suzaku?" Yui asked.

"It's one of our gods...'Seiryu', 'Byakko', 'Suzaku', and 'Genbu'. Suzaku is our god, each of the three other empire's have their own god to worship."

A mouth-watering aroma wafted into the room..._That's right...I skipped breakfast..._

Like a mindless drone, Miaka walked out of the shrine, and towards the food.

Tamahome's voice quickly faded, but that was of little importance at the moment, for the food was almost in sight...

o-o-o-o-o-o

"Gods...blah blah...emperors...blah blah.." The man droned blithely on, Yui captivated by every word.

He paused, and smiled at her, " But that's not important, we only need to think about escaping now."

"Wait...Where's Miaka?"

o-o-o-o-o-o

_There it is! A delicious feast! Fit for a king!_

With inhuman speed, Miaka pounced on the food, and consumed every last crumb in two seconds flat, much to the awe of the cooks.

_Man...that was good, I'll go home now._

And then it dawned on her, Yui and Tamahome were still trapped!

_Where did I go? Which way is back!_

"Oh no! I'm lost! All the doors look the same!" She panicked, running madly around the palace grounds.

"The door's over there." A calm voice said from behind her.

Startled, Miaka jumped slightly, and soun toward to voice.

An exceedingly beautiful young woman sat on top of a fence-like wall. She smiled slightly, and said," So...you're the one they captured the other day?"

_What?_

o-o-o-o-o-o

"Where did she wander off to!" Yui growled in annoyance, " I can't believe she would just wander _off_ at a time like this!"

"Maybe she was captured?" The boy suggested.

"No way. I'm sure Miaka found some _food_ or something.."

"If that's the case--"

"There! The prisoners have escaped!" A voice rang out.

o-o-o-o-o-o

"You must be mistaken!" Miaka stuttered, walking away hurriedly, hiding her face, "I'm just an annonymous passer-by!"

The woman gave a musical laugh, and said, " Oh, don't worry, the guards won't hear about you from me!"

Miaka glanced back at the woman, she was so stunningly beautiful.

"Hey, since I have nothing else to do, why don't I give you the grand tour?" She offered, smiling, "The special no-guard tour."

o-o-o-o-o-o

"Crap! What do we do!" Yui asked, as she ran beside the boy.

"What we're doing now! RUN!"

She stared at him a moment, then said finally, " It's funny, I've gotten you into so much trouble, and I don't think I've told you my name!"

He shrugged slightly, "That's okay. I figured it out anyway."

o-o-o-o-o-o

"So, you are looking for your friend?"

"Well, actually, friends." Miaka replied, " You see, I can go back to my own world anytime, but I can't leave until I free Tamahome, and figure out if Yui can come back, too."

The woman stopped, and stared back at her in shock a moment, " You...come from another world?"

"I understand if you don't believe me..." Miaka sighed, "You probably think I'm crazy."

_What have I done? The woman probably thinks I'm crazy! She's probably leading me straight to the guards!_

"Oh no! I just _love_ that kind of stuff!" She said excitedly, smiling broadly.

Miaka stared silently a moment, as the woman circled around her, poking her inquisitively.

_What am I? A side-show freak?_

The woman cupped Miaka's face in one hand, and said. "I'm 'Hotohori', though people usually call me something else."

"Oh...I'm Miaka Yuki, just call me Miaka."

"Stop talking about going away, and stay here awhile." She said, "I just _know_ the emperor would never have you killed."

Miaka swallowed slightly, _Why is my heart racing over a woman? This is insane!_

"What's the matter?" She asked.

"Oh, nothing!" Miaka laughed, " I was just thinking how beautiful you were!"

"Oh, everybody says that!" She laughed.

There was the sound of footsteps, and Hotohori pushed Miaka into a nearby bush without warning.

"Quickly! Hide here!"

o-o-o-o-o-o

"Ouch, what do we do now?" Yui asked quietly, as the guards led them along the path.

"I got a plan...don't worry..." The boy assured.

"Hey! _Silence_!" A guard growled.

o-o-o-o-o-o

As Miaka got her bearings, she saw a troup of guards walking towards the bush she was hiding in...they had two prisoners!

Miaka barely held back a gasp when she saw them, _Yui and Tamahome!_

"...Where is the other one?" A guard snapped.

"Don't know." Tamahome replied casually, "She got away while you were chasing us."

"So you two were just decoys!" The man growled, and punched him upside the head.

_I can't take it anymore! I have to do something!_

Impulsively, Miaka leapt out of her make-shift hiding place, and cried out," Hey guards! I'm over here!"

"_What!_" Tamahome cried, "You didn't escape! Idiot!"

"What good is it for _you_ guys to be the decoys?" Miaka insisted, and stuck her tongue out at a guard, "Come get me!"

"Miaka!" Yui cried in warning, as a guard Miaka had not seen grabbed her from behind.

In an instant, the guard was gone.

o-o-o-o-o-o

As the palace guard grabbed the girl, the captive boy's darkened into a scowl, and the boy delivered a flying kick into the guard's cheek. The guard went flying into his fellow warriors several feet away.

As the guards composed themselves, the boy straightened, furiously trying to undo his bonds.

"Lay one finger on them, and you're dead." He threatened.

_Is that symbol glowing on his forehead a--_

A glint of steel flashed behind the blonde girl's back.

o-o-o-o-o-o

Yui gasped as the boy straightened, how many times had he saved them now?

_And I dont even know his name..._

She shook her head quickly, _That doesn't matter right now...first I have to get free..._then_ I can ask him his name...Now...where is that pocket knife...ah!_

Carefully, she began sawing against the rope with her tiny weapon.

"There!"

o-o-o-o-o-o

"There!" Yui said suddenly, just as the guards stood up.

"Why that little..." The assualted guard growled.

"SILENCE!" A voice cried from behind Miaka, causing her to spin around toward the voice in alarm, "You are _not_ permitted to touch those three without our direct order!"

"Your majesty!" The guards cried in shock.

_Huh? Hotohori is...nahhh!_

The woman looked down in silence at Miaka a moment.

"No way!" Miaka cried, "How can a beautiful young woman like that be--"

"_Woman!_" Tamahome cut in, "His majesty is all man!"

"A man!"

o-o-o-o-o-o

Yui whipped her head around at the voice, a man...or perhaps a woman, with luxurious long hair stood resolutely where Miaka had appeared, a wrap-around cloak falling dramatically to the floor behind her, and royal robes fluttering in the wind.

The few stay bits of leaves in her and Miaka's hair gave away the fact that they had to have been hiding in the nearby bush.

"Your majesty!" A man cried.

_Majesty? Perhaps the empress?...but how did Miaka befriend an--_

"Now way! That can't be!" Miaka laughed suddenly.

_What is she DOING!_

"She's too young and beautiful to be empress!"

"_She!_" The boy gasped.

Whatever he continued with was lost to Yui as she just stared in shock.

_Oh no..._

She swallowed softly in fear.

_I think I'm going to be sick...it's not just the empress...it's the emperor _himself_! And Miaka just made fun of him!...We're going to die...I followed Miaka into this _stupid_ book, and now Miaka is going to get me killed_ Despite whatever the boy had said, Miaka seemed unconvinced, and ran up to the emperor, protesting that he _couldn't_ be a man.

Then she started patting his chest, exclaiming in shock that it was flat.

_I'm going to faint...Yes...that will be good...then I won't have to feel whatever humiliating torture we'll be sentenced to now that she_ touched _him...I might not even have to feel the death. I won't hear the sickening proclamation, and most of all...I'll never see what_ stupid_ stunt Miaka will pull, that will get us a worse sentence..._

The Yui's utter shock, rather than freaking out or something, the emperor just stood there, smiling at Miaka slightly.

Then Miaka bent down slightly, still patting the poor man...his patience could snap any moment!

"_Miaka!_ What are you _doing?_!" Yui screamed.

The emperor laughed then, and said, "Remove them from their bonds."

The stress was finally too much, she felt lightheaded, almost giddy...with a sigh, Yui let darkness take her.

o-o-o-o-o-o

Hotohori smiled slightly. _These girls from the other world are strange...very strange_.

He might have laughed when he noticed the blonde girl's face turn twenty shades of blue at the other girl's antics.

Might've...if it hadn't been so sad.

Finally, the girl screamed at the other...Miaka?

Something seemed humorous how two girls that looked nearly identical could be so opposite from eachother.

"Release them, guard." He ordered, hoping to show that he had no ill intentions toward them.

He had not anticipated that the girl would faint.

o-o-o-o-o-o

_Wow...he seems so different now!_

Miaka could only stare in shocked silence as he smiled down at them from his throne.

With his hair up, it was obvious he was a boy...uncomfortably, she tried to adjust her painful kneeling position, but Tamahome gave her a glance that spoke volumes of what would happen if she did anything stupid.

_Okay...sitting like this is killing me._ She thought after a moment more.

"We apologize." He said, "Trickery was not our intention, we merely wished to understand you better...at least we have disproven the counsel's assertion that you were an evil spirit."

"You mean you'll let us go now?" Miaka asked hopefully.

He nodded, "Of course we will not kill you...however, we have one request."

"Sure!"

"Will you protect our country, Hong-nan, Preistess of Suzaku!" He pleaded.

_Who?_ Miaka looked around the room, confused. _What is he talking about?_

"We were reffering to you, Miaka...There is a legend in our land, at a time when the empire falls into disorder and is on the verge of collapse...a young lady would appear from another world seeking the power of Suzaku. The moment she posses the power of Suzaku, she will lead the empire to glory. This young lady, called the priestess of Suzaku, has finally arrived. She sits before us now."

"_What!_" Miaka cried, "You got the wrong girl! I'm no priestess! I happened to land in your world by mistake!"

"But...you _are_ from another world, and you have a wish, have you not?" He replied, "You came here seeking the powers of Suzaku that your wish would be granted, yes?"

_Wish?...oh yeah...the preface said something about a wish...wait...does the reader of the universe of the four gods become the_ hero_ of the story? So the god Suzaku has the power to grant any wish?_

"I...could wish to be a hot babe that would look good in a tight mini-skirt! I could make all the boys in school fall hopelessly in love with me! I could wish to be tough and beat up all the bullies! I could have a feast for every meal! Mister I am into _this_!" She said exictedly, ignoring Tamahome's sarcastic mumbling.

Then it dawned on her.

"But most of all...I could get into any school I wanted to..."

The emperor laughed again, "You're much too modest! Have you considered ruling the world?"

That was the clencher!

"I'm there! I'll do it! I'll be your priestess of Suzaku!" She cried, leaping up through the air toward him in excitement. "My life has been leading up to this!"

"Is that so?" He replied, slightly thrown off by her sudden mood swing.

"Hey!" A body guard, who was obviously unhappy with how close she had come to his emperor, barked.

"Everyone stand back!" Hotohori announced suddenly, "This young lady will obtain the power of Suzaku. The Priestess of Suzaku, the one who will protect our empire, stands before you!"

A hush fell upon the room as all but the emperor himself knelt and said, "Thank you, your eminence!"

_Wow...even Tamahome's bowing...well! Now that everything is sorted out, I can go home, I can tell my mother everything is okay, and then I can come back and get Yui._

"Okay! I'll be heading on home!" She smiled, waving. "Please look after Tamahome and Yui for me!"

"What are you talking about?" The emperor asked, confused. " You just said--"

"Oh yeah, but I have to let my mom know I'm okay..." She explained, "Don't worry, I'll be back! After all--"

_**"--These books doing here?"**_ A voice said, ringing in hollowly in her mind_**."Didn't I lock this up anyway?"**_

_Oh no! If he is cleaning it up...what happens if he closes the book?_

"No! Don't close it!" She cried out, much to the bemusement of the court.

_**"Oh...Guess I should--Eh? This old book? It'll get damaged just lying out here"  
**_

"Oh please! No! If you close the book, I'll never get out!" She begged, "Oh, _please_!"

She heard the resonating slam of a book being closed...then nothing.

"_No!_"

Her knees felt weak, and she slid to the floor.

_I'm...trapped..._

"Oh...n-no..."She sobbed, "No..."

**END CH 3**

* * *

AN: Ehhh...so late I know...and not very original this chappy too...I know I know! >. ;;;

Don't hurt me! I'm going to change it more and more as we go on, by ch 7 it is no where near it! really!

On a side note: NO! I've just finished Graphic Novel #12, Girlfriend...that means next one is...LAST! Right?

Which means...OH NO! I can't read that! breaks down into tears

Sorry...but that's a big motivator for me to write this more...

BTW: Did I ever tell you it took me to VOl. 3 to realize Hotohori reffered to himself as a plural often? ;  
I just assumed he was talking about multiple people...

Yusagi Sombermoon


	4. The Seven Constellations

Disclaimer: Do I speak Japanese? Fluently? NO. Thus I cannot be Yu Watase, which means I do not own Fushigi Yuugi or anything associated with it. 

AN: Well...this chapter has only a little bit of interaction between our two star characters, but it's still probably more than any other chapters yet. I so wish I could have included the Kanji for the constellations in this, but...oh well...

* * *

**Chapter 4:** **_The Seven Constellations_**

****

There was darkness all around her, but that boy was standing just a little ways away, waiting for her...she stepped towards him, but he faded away, and the faint laughter of children echoed around her.

_Where is he? Where is Miaka?_

**"...Book..."** A voice whispered.

"_No!_" Miaka's voice screamed.

"_Miaka!_ Where are you!" Yui cried, looking all around her.

"_MIAKA!_"

"Whoa!" Came the boy's voice, and suddenly Yui realized she was sitting in an extravagant bed.

"Huh? Where am I?"

"You passed out when the emperor said we could go free." the boy replied, shrugging, "Now that Miaka is the Priestess of Suzaku, we can all stay in the palace."

"Huh? What's the Priestess of Suzaku?"

"Dunno. She's supposed to be our savior though."

_Miaka? A savior? A priestess? What kind of sick _joke_ is going on?_

"Look, I know it's hard to believe, but let's look on the bright side here, we're in the palace!"

"Where's Miaka?"

"She's asleep now...she had a break down in the throne room, the both of you have been out for _hours_..."

"Breakdown!" Yui gasped, "Is she okay?"

"Oh yeah, the doc says she's just fine." he assured, "I think the emperor's with her now...she's still asleep as far as I know, though."

"O-okay."

"So..are you feeling okay now, Yui?"

"I...don't know..."

"Well...I hope you're alright..."

She looked up at him a moment...he was so handsome.

"What's your name?"

His eyes widened slightly, "You don't know?"

"You..uh..never told me."

"Tamahome...my name's Tamahome."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Miaka stared silently out the window, it had been nearly a week now...what was her family thinking?

_Keisuke must be so worried, there has to be a full-fledged search going on...but they'll never find me...I can never go back..._

She sighed softly, shaking her head.

_Yui suggested I just _wish_ to go home...but how can I do that? Hotohori probably knows how to get my wishes, but I rarely see him...after my stunt in the throne room, I remember waking up to him sitting near me...but I haven't really seen him since. _She glanced at the door a moment, _He's probably really busy with his empire-work-stuff..._

A small smile crept onto her face, _Maybe his work is done today! It _is_ kinda late!_

"I know! I'll drop in on him! That'll surprise him!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Her parents had to be so worried now...she had never left for more than a day...never skipped school.

_I wish I could do something, tell them I'm alright...I feel so guilty for disappearing like that...I wish I could talk to Miaka, too...but there never seems to be a time when someone isn't fawning over their new 'priestess'.._.

"Hey, what are you thinking about?"

Yui jumped slightly and turned around, _Tamahome!_

"N-nothing! I wasn't thinking about anything!"

"Yeah right," Tamahome laughed, "The entire empire has gone ga-ga over Miaka lately, somehow I don't think you're taking this all in stride."

She couldn't help but smile slightly. "Thanks, but it's okay. I'm fine."

He put his hand on her shoulder, "You little liar."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Hotohori looked up from his work as she walked in.

"Miaka! I am sorry I could not have time to see you as of late."

"Oh no, not at all, Hotohori..I mean, your majesty!" She said, correcting herself quickly, "Can I ask you something..."

"Of course! Anything!"

"Well...how can I obtain the powers of Suzaku?"

"I was researching that now, in the Universe of the four gods."

"_U-U-Universe of the four gods!_ That's the book we're in!"

"Yes, it is a book of prophesies handed down from Tai Yi-Jun to His Majesty Tai-ju." He nodded, "In the book, there are 28 holy constellations of heaven, the 28 celestials, each of the four cardinal points, North, South, East, and West claims seven constellations. The southern seven are called 'Suzaku', it's a general astronomical term."

"And I thought it was some kind of god of birds." Miaka mumbled.

"The names of the seven are: Chichiri, Tamahome, Nuriko, Hotohori, Chiriko, Taisuke, and Mitsukake...they make up the southern seven."

"_Tamahome and Hotohori_!" Miaka cried.

"That's correct." He nodded, then shifted his collar around to reveal a glowing red symbol on his neck, "I, Hotohori, and Tamahome, and the rest if the seven constellations must protect the priestess of Suzaku, so she can obtain her magical powers."

_So...Tamahome's my guardian?_

"The priestess of Suzaku must find all the seven personally, if Suzaku is to be summoned. Says so right here."

_What? How long will that take? I have exams coming up!_

"We can't wait! Where art thou, third constellation!" She cried, running toward the door.

"Miaka! Wait! There's a clue in the scroll!" He said, indicating an aged peice of paper that was laid out on the table before him.

"Huh?"

"Here, it says 'Palace' and 'Fierce Strength'."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Tamahome shook his head, the pitiful ensemble of warriors before them could not _possibly_ have a Suzaku Warrior in their midsts, but...if they did not, they had nothing to go on.

"Okay," Miaka said, "Do any of you have symbols that appear on your body?"

"Miaka..." Yui started, exasperated, but Tamahome chuckled softly, and cut her off.

"It doesn't appear because they _want_ it to...they probably don't even know they have it."

"What do we do?" Yui asked.

"Well..." He said, standing up and stretching, "I'll fight them and see, though I would have preferred the others to be hot babes."

"Well! Excuse my lack of babe-itude!" Miaka huffed, "Well, I'd rather have five buff guys, so there!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Tamahome shrugged slightly, and leapt into battle.

Miaka stared in open shock as all the warriors fell like nothing before him...they didn't stand a chance!

Before long, he was the only one standing.

"Huh?" He mumbled, looking around for more opponents, "Well...oops."

Hotohori sighed, "Tamahome...our purpose was _not_ to allow you to show off..."

"Oh...uh, sorry."

"I guess it's _my_ turn." Miaka said cooly, flipping her hair of her shoulder and standing up dramatically, as all the warriors began to pick themselves up off the floor.

"What!"

"Don't worry, I won't get hurt!" She smiled, "The only thing the teachers ever complimented me on was my speed!"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Yui sighed.

"Just watch." Miaka winked, and walked off of the small covered area she had been sitting at.

"Alright! Come and get me!"

"Your Eminence! We would never _dare_ harm you!" they protested.

She sighed, _What a joke!_

"I see...you're afraid!" she taunted, " You're actually peeing your pants because I'm the Priestess of Suzaku! Chickens! Wussies! Pansies! Nyah Nyahh!"

"Is she six?" One mumbled to his companion.

"That's it!" Another roared, his patience apparently running out, "No warrior would take those kind of insults!"

The other's seemed to take cue, and cried battle cries, linging spears and weapons at her.

"Hey! Why are _all_ of 'em getting angry for! None of them have symbols!"

"What did you expect!" Yui growled.

"Get her!"

"_Miaka! Get out of there!_"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

He stared in silent shock a moment, this girl had to be crazy.

_...And yet she is so captivating as well..._

Out of nowhere, a stray spear slam into a support pillar for the mini-shrine she was standing under.

To his horror, the structure shuddered, and began to collapse.

"_Miaka! Get out of there!_"

She looked over at him quizically.

_No! Her only chance is if Tamahome can save her in time!_

"Tamahome! Quit fighting those warriors and save Miaka!"

Then there was the final, sickening crack, before a resounding snap, and the building crashed to the ground.

Neither Miaka, nor Tamahome could be seen under the rubble.

"_No!_"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"And I--_Eeeeeek!_" Her mother screamed suddenly.

"What? What!" Morin asked, jumping up and turning around.

"Your-Your skirt!"

Confused, she looked down at her school unifrm...there was a large blood stain growing on her skirt.

"Wh-what!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Miaka winced in pain; the gash on her leg throbbed terribly, but she was still alive.

Slowly, she opened her eyes. Tamahome was above her, pinned by a large colomn.

"Tamahome!" She breathed. _But he'll be..._ "_No!_ Stop it! You'll be-"

"No way! It's my duty to protect you!" He growled, "I _always_ fulfill my duties!"

_Duty..._

"So...the only reason you saved me...was because it was 'your duty to'?"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Clear this rubble! _Now!_" The emperor cried, leaping over to the ruins, and tossing bits of it away.

"Your majesty, you mustn't!" The counselors cried.

"Leave me alone!"

"A-all the warriors are unconscious! We don't have anyone to move it!"

Yui stared at the rubble numbly a moment, then mechanically began to pick up debris and move it off of the seeminglt endless pile.

"Some one wake the warriors!" someone cried, "_Do_ something!"

"We can't!"

"Miaka..." She whispered desperately, "Hang on...come on..."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"I...I can't..."

"G-go on! get out of here! Please!" Miaka begged, tears welling up in her eyes.

"D-does it look like I_ can_ go?" He growled, sweat running down his face.

"B-but!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Yui shook her head, as she looked at her scraped up hands, and back to the seemingly untouched pile of rubble.

"It's hopeless..."

"Allow me to handle this." Came a voice.

Yui spun around in an instant to face the voice, an extravagantly dressed woman stoof infront of her.

Casually, the woman walked past her, and began to toss pieces of the building the size of her head behind her, much to the horror of the counselors.

The woman uncovered the main support pillar in no time flat, and with no more effort than she had used earlier, she flung it behind her with a crash.

"Oh!" She aid, peering into the hole, "You're still alive! You lucky devil, you!"

Yui breathed a sigh of relief, and slid to her knees, she hadn't realized she was so worn out.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Miaka flinched as the woman wrapped the bandage tightly around her thigh, she hadn't realized the cut was so bad.

Yui was kneeling next to Tamahome, helping to bandage him...she already seemed so infatuated with him, and they'd only just barely met.

"You protected the priestess well, Tamahome." Hotohori said suddenly.

"No he didn't!" Miaka objected, "He could have gotten killed! _Then_ where would we be!"

"Yes, thanks to this woman, though, you both were rescued." He nodded, indicating a beautiful young woman.

"I am Kang-Lin. Or Nuriko, as in the constellation." She said, revealing a glowing symbol on her collar bone.

_Another constellation!_

"So she's a woman!" Miaka cried happily, reaching a hand out to her, while hanging onto Hotohori's arm, "Thank you for rescuing me! I'm Miaka Yuki!"

"Hmph. I only wanted to save _him_!" Nuriko huffed, walking over to Tamahome and giving him a firm kiss.

_What!_

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

For a moment, Yui only stared in shocked silence.

_So then...the truth comes out..._

She closed her eyes, and forced herself to breath deep, measured breaths, to ignore the sudden pressure on her chest and the tightness of her throat.

Hot tears burned her eyes as she stood, _I won't let him see me cry!_

"Yui!" Tamahome yelled from behind her, but she wouldn't stop running...she couldn't.

_I just want to go home!_

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Yui! Yui _Stop_!" He cried, but the girl ignored him.

He sighed, and shook his head.

_That must have looked like...but even so...why would she act like that?_

The memory of her tears stung him strangely.

_I have to tell her the truth of this..._

**END CH4

* * *

**

AN: Hmmm...a bit awkward for me, Must keep them as in-character as possible, but I don't want Tama ruining it in that pillar scene.  
I considered subbing Yui here, but I decided that would throw everything out of whack. and No, Hotohori could not rescue her in that case, if he could have, he would have in the manga. Of that I am certain.

But, you know...those warriors were right to be afriad...I can't imagine those guys getting away without some serious punishment, endangering the life of the priestess like that...(more importantly, endangering _Miaka's_ life...)

If you want the mushy-gooey M/H moments, you'll have to wait a little longer. Not too much, since Next chapter is Dangerous Love...

Well...I updated this so quickly because I Finished FY part 1...now, where is Part 2?(Really I didn't cry THAT much throughout the last volume...though I admit I was grinning like a maniac in some parts.)

Also, where are all the M/H Fansites and Fanart! If you guys know any,(besides reverant passion) TELL ME! PLEASE!

Oh yeah...M/H writers...I made a C2 community thingy for M/H fics(they have to be main couple, and end up together, of course)

If you want to sign up, come talk to me.

Yusagi Sombermoon


	5. Dangerous Love

Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yugi 

AN: Yay, another update, I'm just in the mood to update, I guess.

NOTE: M/H lovers, you may swoon...so sit down when you read this chapter...

* * *

_The Universe of the four gods_

**Chapter 5: _Dangerous Love_**

****

Morin sighed in frustration, the stain wasn't coming out!

"Are you using soap, honey?" Her mother called from outside the bathroom.

"Yes!" She growled, glaring down at the stain.

And then, suddenly, it was gone.

"_WAH!_"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"There! Finally got it out!" Miaka laughed, holding up the dress. "Wow! It's so tough to get blood stains out without soap!"

As she hung her skirt, her thoughts drifted to the events of the day.

_It's amazing the speed at which we are finding the warriors..._ She thought with a smile, but her smile faded as her thoughts turned to the newest warrior, Nuriko. _But why did she have to_ kiss _him! Poor Yui..._

Miaka had tried to talk with Yui, but she refused to let her in.

"Yui, you just _have_ to pull through this!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Yui."

She jumped, and turned around. Tamahome stood in the doorway, a solomn expression on his face.

"I want you to know...what happened earlier today...it wasn't...Nuriko isn't..."

_So...they aren't..together?_

She didn't know whether to punch him or kiss him.

_It's like an anvil has been lifted off my chest, and I can breathe again._

Tamahome's expression turned to one of concern. "Yui, why are you crying? I meant..."

"No...I'm just happy." She said quickly, smiling.

Color spread across his cheeks, and he opened his mouth with a nervous laugh.

A piece of cloth wrapped around his ankles, and yanked him onto his face.

"_There_ you are, Tama-baby!" Nuriko cried, walking in. "Oh, what do you know, it's Yui!"

Without another word, she dragged Tamahome out of the room, heedless of his screams of complaint.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Miaka sighed as she sat down next to her friend, it had been a month, and Nuriko stull snubbed her...

"That Nuriko is crazy..." Yui sighed, sipping her drink.

Miaka gave her friend a soft smile.

_She's completely infatuated with Tamahome, but Nuriko stubbornly hogs him non-stop..._

"I have an idea!" Miaka said without warning, a dangerously brilliant glint in her eyes.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"You want to be my assistant?" Nuriko asked incredulously, as she sat casually on a wrapped up Tamahome.

"Yep." Miaka nodded.

"Okay...but you can't interfere with iour/i relationship!" Nuriko said, squeezing Tamahome in a painful bear-hug.

"Never even crossed my mind..."

Yui sighed, _'Our relationship'?...How can that be a relatioonship? Tamahome...you said there was nothing going on between you two.._

"Yui...it's okay...I'll get this fixed, I _promise_!" Miaka assured, squeezing her shoulder.

"...Thank you, Miaka."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Brush my hair, would you?

Miaka nodded enthusiastically, and picked up a beautiful brush, hurrying up to Nuriko.

_I hope this works..poor Yui..._ Miaka thought to herself, as she ran he brush through Nuriko's silky hair.

After a moment, her thoughts drifted to another subject. _I wish I could see Hotohori more often...I know he's got lots of responsibilities, but he always teaches me so many things when I see him, and he's always pleasant, and..._

Suddenly, water was splashed in her face.

"_OUCH_!" Nuriko cried, "You're hurting me!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Yui, I'm glad I could find you."

"Tamahome!" Yui smiled, "What do you want?"

"Do you know where I can hide?"

Yui sighed. _It figures he's not here to visit..._

"Why? Aren't you _happy_ you have such a _babe_ drooling over you?"

"Don't be silly! I'm just being nice 'cause she's a constellation and a woman." He objected. "'Sides, she's not my style."

"Who is?" She asked suddenly.

"Huh?"

"What is your style?"

"I...uh..what?" He stuttered, face turning red.

Nuriko leapt out of nowhere, and grabbed him by the neck, cutting their conversation severely short.

"Tama-baby! There you are!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Miaka sighed as she sat on the wooden floor, her stomach protesting loudly.

Nuriko had said she couldn't eat unless she cleaned every speck of dust from the floor by dinner time, but then she purposefully threw an _unbelievable_ amount of trash and dirt on the floor right before dinner.

Miaka's stomach grumbled loudly at the memory.

_Nuriko is so mean to me...and all I want is to be her friend...I wish I could go see Yui or Hotohori, but Nuriko won't let me leave...and besides, Hotohori's probably asleep now, anyways..._

"Oh...I am _soo_ hungry!" She whined.

"Psst, Miaka, _psst_!" A voice whispered from the darkness.

"Yui? Is that you?"

"Wow, you must be really out of it!" Yui laughed, as she stepped into the light, carrying a platter of food with her.

"_FOOD!_" Miaka cried happily, launching herself at the platter.

If not for Yui's great dexterity and experience, Miaka might have nabbed her hands as well.

"I have an idea.." Miaka said, licking off her fingers, "I'm gonna talk to Nuriko! She_ has_ to be nicer to me!"

"I see your brain is working, now that you have food." Yui laughed.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Keisuke leaned against the wall, panting.

_Where did Miaka and Yui disappear to? Did someone snag them on their way to cram school_/

"Miaka! Yui!" He yelled, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Where _are_ you!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Oh...I so miss that earring..." Nuriko lamented as Miaka entered.

"What is it? Why did you call for me?"

"Oh...some time ago, I lost a very precious earring while I was taking a walk near the pond." She replied, " It's made out of a clear crystal, so it's hard to find! The jewel is called the 'glow stone', and it shines in the dark. But the pond is so deep, and my attendants are so scared to find it at night. As you know, I am not allowed to leave the inner buildings, so I can't go get it myself!"

"Oh! Do you want_ me_ to get it?"

"Oh, _would_ you? In return, I promise to serve as one of the the seven warriors."

"Leave it to me!" Miaka laughed, running out of the room, completely oblivious to the mocking giggles that followed her.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"What was that? I wasn't listening.'

"Your majesty..." the counselor sighed, "Eighteen is an age to consider marriage, our public officials have gone to great trouble to gather beautiful women from all over the empire, why do you ignore the women of the inner seraglio?"

"Hmph, we are _far_ more beautiful than they!" He replied coldly.

For a moment, the counselors only stared in silence, until he shook his head, "That was a joke."

"Should we not be concentrating on the state of the _empire_?" he asked cooly.

"But...that's right! How about that girl, Nuriko"

"Nonsense. She is one of the Seven Warriors, and such has been released from the Seraglio to serve Miaka." He replied dismissively, then looked out at the sky, "Since childhood, we have had an image, we know the face of our ideal woman, and she is..."

"_BOO!_" Miaka cried, as she jumped over the railing without warning, causing the counselors to scream and leap backwards.

"Miaka, what are you doing here?" he asked mildly.

"Haha. I knew I couldn't scare you!" she laughed, pointing at him, "Nothing...I was just walking by, going to do something for Nuriko."

"Is everything alright between you two?" he inquired, "I could order her to..."

"No, that's okay, i want to do this myself..." She laughed, "Besides, you can't iorder/i someone's feelings to change!"

Somehow, what she said stung him, and he could only watch in silence as she ran off.

"Miaka..."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Okay...earring...earring.." Miaka mumbled, as she walked through the dark garden.

Out of nowhere, a bird squawked, flapping around her head.

"AHH!" She screamed, swinging at it and running.

Then her foot caught on something, and she went hurtling into the pond

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Morin sighed as she walked down the street, Fu wasn't home, but she didn't want to hang out on the town alone, it just wasn't safe.

But still...

Suddenly, a shiver went down her back, and her uniform became completely soaked.

"What the?" Morin gasped, looking down at herself, "Is that seaweed?"

An icy claw seemed to clutch her throat, choking her.

_I can't breathe!_ She thought to herself, panicking, and clawing at her throat.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

She was caught, tangled up in seaweed...

_I have to get free!_

Frantically, she tried to yank herself free, but to no avail.

_Someone! HELP ME!_

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Miaka!" Yui cried, sitting upright in her bed.

She looked around in the dark stillness of her room, but there was nothing...no sounds came from outside, no screams from the halls...the palace seemed silent...

"Miaka!" She cried, leaping out of bed, and running into the hallway, "Where are you!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"-ka!" came a scream, snapping him out of his sleep, "Miaka!"

_What? Did I doze off? Is that Yui!_

Jumping out of bed, he ran out into the hall.

"_Yui!_ What's going on?"

"Tamahome! Miaka's in trouble! I _know_ it!" She replied.

"Where is she?" He asked.

"I don't know! Help me find her!"

_What is up with this Miaka? Everytime I turn around, she needs help! Being a Celestial Warrior is no fun..._

Nonetheless, he agreed to help, and set off with Yui to find her.

"-Fool! She's probably drowning in that cold, cold pond right now!" Nuriko laughed from the ladies' room.

Tamahome almost cringed at her voice, until he realized what she was saying, "...I said it myself, I _couldn't_ have lost it! I couldn't go there!"

"Miaka!" Yui gasped.

_How could Nuriko do such a thing!_

Furious, he burst through the doors and grabbed the woman her an arm.

"What did you say!" He growled, "How could you do that! Miaka's trying her hardest just to be your _friend!_ And this is how you reward her!"

"I'll _never_ give you to her!" Nuriko cried, "She has you and the emperor wrapped around her finger!"

"What are you talking about?" He asked, confused.

_Give me to her?_

"I was in the Inner Seraglio for a _year_! And not once did the emperor cast a_ glance_ in my direction! And now she's here suddenly, and she gets all this attention! What's so good about a little twit from another world!" Nuriko sobbed, "Because she stole him from me, I'm going to steal _you_ from _her!_"

"So...that's it, you're in _love_ with Hotohori." Miaka said.

"_Miaka!_" Yui cried, "What _happened!_"

"Here...I couldn't find your earring, so I got this stone instead." She said, offering a shiny stone, "See? Isn't it pretty?"

"Fool! There was never a earring!" Nuriko hissed.

"I knew that...your story didn't add up...you said yourself that you couldn't go outside."

In an instant, Nuriko's hand lanced out, and slapped Miaka. "How dare you mock me!"

Casually, Miaka gave her a return slap. "Tag, you're it."

"H-How..dare..you.."

"So you were _jealous_ of me?" Miaka asked, smiling, "Don't worry, there's nothing going on between us! I'll have a talk with him for you!"

"You'd do that?"

"Sure!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"And?"

"'And'...it'd be nice if you were more considerate toward them..." She said, readjusting her robe, she couldn't talk to him with soaking wet clothes, after all. "You're probably surrounded by women in love with you..."

"And what about you? Is there a man you're in love with?"

"M-me?" She stuttered.

_Why am I so embarrassed all of a sudden? It isn't as if I have a boyfriend!_

Quickly, she changed the subject, and sat down next to him, "Don't worry about _me_...I just wanted to recommend someone in particular for you."

"Thank you...but I already have someone..." He replied softly, " Since before I can remember..."

"Huh?"

Before she realized what was happening, he was above her, pinning her to the bed. It was different from the other times she had been piinned down, she knew she could get free if she tried.

"Someone I've cherished since time began."

She felt a lump grow in her throat, as she stared into his chestnut eyes...she felt so light.

_What...what do I do!_

**CH End

* * *

**

AN: With a speech like that, how did Miaka ever go for Tama? .

Yes...this is like, version 5! lol, I really needed my handy dandy FY Vol 1 to get the main speeches(By Hothori) done right...

Of course, I omitted and added things on purpose for my own devices...

I always thought it was SO irritating that Miaka had the nerve to think about Tamahome all the time when she was with Hotohori...that was one of the reasons that made the whole T/M chafe for me...when she left the book the first time she didn't stop daydreaming for a second! Arrgh...It was so cheezy it made me sick...

Of course...I ALWAYS use the descriptions on how I see the characters, ex: Keisuke has light brown hair, so does Chichiri, and Hotohori has brown eyes, black hair, and Nuriko has brown eyes, black hair(sorry, purple lovers, but that just doesnt fly with me...)

And, no matter how you beg, I will NEVER give Hotohori that horrible Olive colored hair he gets in the anime.

So...seconds from a kiss, and a cofession of love...what will happen next? Why is Nuriko stupid enough to think Miaka likes Tamahome? How does Nuriko have any dignity after B-slapping Miaka like that(I wont spoil it, but anyone who has read past vol2 should know what I mean...)

Man, Nuriko was a brat, huh?

SORRY SORRY SORRY I skipped those months(like Watase did) I originally had planned to include them, but 1: the format of this story didn't allow it...2:_** I COULDN"T FRIGGIN THINK OF A GOOD WAY TO DO IT!**_

****

I plan to include pieces of it later...some fun stuff I have for it...as it is, I hope to make a collection of one or two chapter stories involving these months(asanother story completely) no continuity with them, they'll skip around randomly as I think of things...probably wont be much H/M action in it tho, not heavy stuff, anyway...

**Preview of Next Chapter**:

"_I want to know everything about you!" He said, leaning down closer to her, "Everything!"_

_His voice was lulling somehow, calming her misgivings, and she found herself falling into his words as he neared closer to her._

_'He's going to...kiss me?'_

Dan-dun-dun..

YAY! One of my favorate scenes!

Ahem...of course it was...a little...awkward for me...lol

Yusagi Sombermoon


	6. Hidden Love

Disclaimer: I dont own FY, otherwise M/H would be cannon! 

AN: Can I really wait very long before updating this one? It just so happens to be one of my favorate scenes too!

Okay, It's about time I answered my reviewers, right?(Im such a bum!)

HoshiHikari: Yeah right, like Nuriko is going to get along...lol We all wish...just wait until Tasuki gets thrown in...oy

FFChick: My friend, those are the two reasons I began this fic...I can assure you that Miaka and Yui will always be friends, and there will be many kissy scenes for our star couple...

OkonomiyakeUcchan: Thanks, I enjoy terrorizing Yui like that...

Kasumi-Takemoto: Your welcome, I love your books...

Heads up, from here on out, theres no turning back...the story changes VERY MUCH

Okay, on with the fic:

* * *

_The universe of the four gods_

**Chapter 6: _Hidden Love_**

_What should I do?_ Miaka thought to herself, panicking.

She had never willingly let a man get so close to her before...it was so uncomfortable...but she couldn't seem to muster the strength to push him away.

It was like his chestnut eyes were sapping away all her strength...

"Ever since I was a child, I've heard stories of the priestess of Suzaku who comes to us from another world." He said softly, "I always wondered what she would be like."

He reached a hand up to touch her face, "Miaka, you're exactly how I imagined you'd be, no other woman holds any interest for me."

_W-wait a_ second _here!_ She thought despirately, _I'm only in junior high! This can't be right!_

"I want to know everything about you!" He said, leaning down closer to her, "Everything!"

His voice was lulling somehow, calming her misgivings...she found herself falling into his words as he neared.

_Oh! He's going to...kiss me?_ She thought distantly.

Some part of her was surprised, maybe even scared, but it was if she were in a trance, locked into his eyes, being pulled toward his lips.

And then there was the faintest sound somewhere in the room, and he was gone.

For a few moments, coherent thought escaped her, and she found herself stuggling to keep her breathing steady.

She could see him sitting on the edge of the bed, out of the corner of her eye.

_We almost...He...I...I can't believe this!_

This was all so sudden!

Suddenly, she realized he was walking toward an ornate wall carving, sword in hand.

_What is he doing?_

When he made it to the wall, he made several graceful swings at the mural, and the wall crumbled away, revealing Tamahome and Nuriko standing side by side, hands cupped around their ears. It only took a moment to process why they were there, and Miaka leapt up to a sitting position, making sure her robe was securely fastened.

"T-Tamahome! Nuriko!"

The two eavesdroppers seemed to take a minute longer to realize they had been caught, staring blankly at the emperor before making an unconvincing display of fake-dancing.

"What brings you two here?" He asked, apparently assuming their relative innocence, "...You can stop dancing now..."

"W-We have come for Miaka, your Majesty." Tamahome said.

"She..um...ran off without my knowlege..." Nuriko said in a barely audible mumble.

"While it is true, I _have_ granted you permission to access my private apartments..." He admitted, "...Perhaps you _could_ use more discretion."

"As you wish..." Tamahome said, walking away.

Nuriko continued babbling a moment, but Miaka couldn't quite hear her.

_What'll happen when they leave?_ She wondered anxiously. _I can't do this! Now way! I gotta talk to Yui!_

"H-H-Hotohori! I should be returning to my room, too..." She stammered, hurrying towards the door.

His hand caught her wrist.

"Miaka...I meant what I said." His voice was perfectly cool, "You said you want to return to your world, but...as soon as Suzaku arrives and this entire ordeal is over, I will make you my empress."

"Hey! You can't-" She started, offended.

_How dare he assume such a thing?_

"Of course, it will not be by my decree." He said smoothly, cutting her off. "I'll make sure_ you_ fall in love with me."

Words were lost to her, as she stared up at him in shock.

He released her wrist and walked away finally, and breath returned to her.

_I...I can't believe this! he just _proposed_ to me!_

"Goodnight, Miaka." He said suddenly, and she realized she was still standing in his room, staring like an idiot.

_Oops_

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"A-Are you _sure?_!"

"What else _can_ I think?" Miaka insisted.

Yui was quiet a minute, before finally saying, "Well, aren't _you_ popular."

"D-don't you get _jealous_!" Miaka said, leaping up in a panic, "This is crazy! I'm just a junior high girl!"

"Just a junior high girl..." Yui whispered, "We can't stop to think about boys, can we?"

"Yui..."

"But, you know...if this were _our_ world..." Yui reasoned, "We would basically be at the same level as them now..."

"Oh...it's spring, isn't it..." Miaka realized, "Our entrance exams..."

"All that studying...worthless..."

"W-well..."

"Will we ever get home, Miaka?" Yui sobbed.

"Of course we will! You'll see, Yui!"

"We?" Yui said flatly, looking up at her, "I thought you were getting married here?"

"Wh-what? N-no! I mean...What about Tamahome?" Miaka countered, "Will you leave _him_?"

Yui's eyes widened slightly, and tears began to form in her eyes, quickly, she turned away, trying to hide her sobs.

"Yui! Don't cry!"

"I don't know!"

"Know what?"

"I don't know if I can leave, stupid!" She snapped.

"You really care for him that much?"

"I...don't...know..."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

He shook his head, _Leaving..._

He had forgotten that they had to leave inevitably...

"I can't get myself entangled in them, can I?" He sighed, walking down the path to his room. "It's not like we could really ever be together anyway! We're from two completely different worlds!"

He only wished he believed himself.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Dawn came all too quickly, and it seemed to Yui that she had not slept at all.

What Miaka had said to her the last night had been eating at her, ever since Miaka had left.

_What will I do?_ She thought to herself again, _If I could ever get back...what would I do?..._could_ I go?...Tamahome..._

She sighed as she got out of bed, noone in this dimension seemed to understand 'sleeping in'...but maybe Nuriko hadn't attached herself to Tamahome yet today.

"If I can talk to him, maybe I'll know...maybe..."

Determined, she slipped out of her small building, and wandered about the palace grounds aimlessly, searching for Tamahome.

Fortunantly, she spotted him walking toward her, whistling absently to himself.

"T-Tamahome!"

He paused and looked at her a moment, before saying simply, "Yo."

He did not wait for her response, before walking past her as if she did not exist.

She stared at his retreating form in silence a moment,

_Why was he so cold? What could I have done?_

"Tamahome!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Miaka was slipping artfully through the palace toward Yui's building, totally invisible to the naked eye, when a slim hand grabbed her shoulder.

She froze.

The hand was feminine, but the grip was uncomfortably tight.

_Nuriko..._

"So...is that what you mean by 'there is nothing going on between us'?" Nuriko's voice reminded her of the silence before a storm...a terrible...terrible storm.

Nuriko turned Miaka around to face her, glaring dangerously.

_Wow, I can practically see her battle aura spark!_

"I will _never_ forgive you!" She hissed, "And I won't let go of Tamahome!"

"Wh-why?" Miaka asked as Nuriko began to leave, "Don't you realize it's not _me_ that's in love with Tamahome! It's Yui!"

Nuriko stopped, and looked back at her coldly, "As far as I'm concerned, the two of you are the same, neither of you deserve to be here!"

Miaka could only stare blankly for what seemed like forever, as the woman walked away.

"Nuriko is..._torturing_ Yui because of_ me_!" She sobbed, shaking her head, "This isn't right!"

_Yui...I'm so sorry...it's all my fault..._

The words that Hotohori had said to her the last night occured to her, that he could order Nuriko to be friendly to her.

_I could never do something like that for myself, but...Yui doesn't deserve this! If I'm her friend, I_ have _to do something!_

She bolted toward the main palace building, and stopped dead in her tracks.

_Wh-what abo_ut later _last night...w-will he bring that up? What will I do?_ She thought to herself, _No, no...I can't think like that! If Hotohori is not busy I'll ask him and leave immediately, if he is...I slip out unseen nd go talk to Yui until he's free._

When her planning was complete, she was standing infront of the rear enrance to the main building, she was allowed everywhere in the palace, through any door, so the guards stationed there ignored her.

_Okay, this door should give me a clear view of the throne room, without letting anybody see me._

Silently she cracked the door open and peered inside.

Hotohori was sitting on the throne, talking to someone who was kneeling on the floor...there were alot of people waiting in line, too.

"Oops...forgot how all the good kings and such had the peasants come in and say their problems...and he doesn't even look bored!" She said to herself, "He really _is_ nice...unless he's just a good actor, I guess..."

She gasped, and clapped a hand over her mouth.

_I said that all out loud!_

Panicking, she rushed away toward Yui's place, using her stealth as much as she could afford.

_Calm down, Miaka...nobody could have seen you...Yui taught you everything she could about stealth..._

"Miaka."

She jumped in surprise, and whipped around to see who was there.

Hotohori stood a few paces away from her, an apologetic frown on his face, "I'm sorry if I startled you..."

"I-I thought you were busy!"

"Well...I wanted to know why you came."

"I...er...how did you..."

"Um...Miaka.." He said, a slightly bewildered look on his face, "I...think everyone in the throne room heard you..."

"Oh..."

"But then, I could have just been lucky, as well." He assured quickly, "I'm sure the look the minister got on his face was from that bad olive he ate...I tried to warn him it looked suspicious..."

"Uh...I don't want to take you from your peasants!"

He laughed suddenly, "Miaka! They are not my _peasants_! They are foreign diplomats from Bei-Jia!"

"Oh. Oops." she mumbled, looking at the floor nervously.

"There was no harm done, I do not believe they heard you."

"Don't lie to me..." she whispered, "I want to trust you."

He was silent a minute, and she could feel him staring at her, "I'm sorry Miaka..." He said finally, "I did not want to upset you."

"That's okay...the truth is supposed to hurt sometimes, right?"

"Miaka..."

"Remember what you said last night? When I was going on an errand for Nuriko?" She said quickly, adding the last part to avoid even more awkwardness.

"Ah...yes?"

"W-well, I _really_ hate to ask, but Nuriko's being so cruel to Yui, my best friend--Yui hasn't done anything!..I wouldn't really care if it were me.."

"Say nothing more of it..." He said firmly, "I am glad you told me of this, I shall speak to her immediately."

"I...I shouldn't have bothered you about his when you were-"

"No..." He insisted, hugging her, "Miaka..."

A scream cut him off.

_Yui!_

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Where are you going?" Yui managed, arm outstretched pleadingly.

"I came here to make some money, but I haven't had a moment yet to do that." He said cooly, "I'm going to the town."

"L-let me go with you!" She said, stepping toward him.

"No." He replied coldly, "You shouldn't come along, you should be helping Miaka find the other warriors."

"Wh-why? I'm not a Priestess!"

"If she gets her wish, you both leave, right?"

"T...Tama..."

"Tama-baby! _There_ you are!" Nuriko cried, appearing out of nowhere and clutching onto his arm.

_He doesn't even look annoyed!_

"Tamahome..."

Strength fled her, and she slid to her knees, sobbing.

He did not even pause.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

_I have to ignore her...I_ have_ to! My job is to protect The Priestess of Suzaku, so that she can make her wish...If I were in love with her friend, how could I protect her? How could I let her make her wish?_

"Tama-baby, you can be _so cold_!" Nuriko said, clinging to his arm.

"Not now, Nuriko." He siged, "Why don't you leave me alone?"

"How _could_ I?" She asked, scandilized "What if you ran into some other girl?"

He shook his head and barely suppressed a growl, _After what she did to Miaka last night, I should_ punch_ her!_

"Don't push me." He warned. "I doubt his majesty would like it if he found out what you tried to do to the Priestess..."

"Aww...is my widdle Tama-baby grumpy?" She cooed, " How scawwy!"

He slumped his shoulders in defeat _She will never get a clue, will she?_

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Miaka gasped in horror when she entered Yui's room.

Yui was sprawled out on the floor, an empty pill bottle laying near her.

"No! _Yui!_"

"What is the meaning of this!" Hotohori said, anger creeping into his voice, as he looked to the maid who had screamed.

"I-I came to offer Mistress Yui some morning tea...and I found her..."

Carefully, Miaka picked up the pill bottle.

It was the prescription sleeping pills she had been using at night off-and-on before they had entered the book.

_But, how many more had she used these last months? There had to have been 50 here when we came!_

"Get the palace doctors, _now_!" Hotohori ordered.

"Yes, your Majesty!" the maid yelped, running away.

"She is still breathing..." he said, walking up next to her.

"Not for long.." she whispered hoarsely, "She could have taken so many of these pills..."

"What are they?"

"One of these will put you to sleep for 8 hours..." Miaka explained, "For when you can't sleep because of stress or pain..."

"I...see...an herb?"

"Yeah...but so much at once..."

He squeezed her shoulder firmly, "She will not die. I will not let her die."

"She's so...pale..." She whispered, tears running down her cheeks.

"Miaka..."

"_Why!_ Why didn't she _talk_ to me!" She cried, flinging herself into his arms, "_Yui!_"

**Ch End

* * *

**

AN: Hm...in the end, have a swerved that much from the story line? Yui is so unstable, we all know sooner or later she was going to do something like that...

Glares at Tamahome

Of course, mister 'martyr' there always helps those girls through their difficult times, doesn't he?

I always thought Miaka was stupid for saying 'you can't order someones feelings to change' when all Hotohori asked was if she wanted him to tell Nuriko to act civil! my gosh, girl...if she were in modern times, Nuriko would have been thrown in prison for doing something like that!

And, despite how it may look, I actually adore Nuriko, s/he's just being a pain right now...

You know, Hotohori always gave better 'speeches' than Tamahome, how could she run off with Tamahome after a speech like that! It defies _**Anime Destiny Rule #1**_! (the one who has a dream girl all their life_ ALWAYS_ ends up with the girl...no matter how quirky...sadly this counts for engagements and such, as well...like Ranma...) Honestly, tho...it was a good speech, wasn't it?

And, I hate to break it to Miaka, but, yes...is Hotohori were so inclined(which, of course hes not..) he_ COULD_ order her to be his empress...it's been done before...

So, as you can see, I'm working on really starting the side romance of Tamahome/Yui...but they're not the most compliant of people...honestly, though Miaka has the energy and stamina to bounce back up everytime Tamahomekicks her to the curb(I personally would knock his face in if he tried that with me) Yui...well...we're going to have to toughen this girl up, hm?

And the mention about 'acting'...well, I don't think Hotohori really despises being an emperor, he always seemed to care for his people, but nobody likes negotiations..lol, if he was bored at such an important thing, tho...I'm sure he would have a great poker face...I mean, come on! ;

And the stealth thing, well...despite the many fanfics I read that have Miaka good at sneaking (for food and such) let's look at her track record here:

_She tried to sneak food out of the house for when she wentback in the book for Yui...and got caught...easily..._

_She snuck around(and maybe tried to get out of) Qu-dong palace...got caught multiple times, if I remember correctly..._

_They had a perfect sneaking plan to get tamahome, she made so much racket, they once again got caught..._

_She tried to sneak in the seiryu camp for a shentso-pao...and got caught, even tho there was only ONE person there..._

_She snuck with Tamahome thru Hong Nan palace...and got caught by the emperor himself..._

_She tried to eavesdrop on Tamahome with his family, and ended up revealing herself anyway..._

Ya starting to see a pattern here? I am.

Any way, toodles!

**Preview of Next Chapter:**

_"Your Majesty...I am sorry...we cannot do anything more..." The man said, "If she stop breathing again, I do not believe we will be able to save her."_

_"No...It can't be.." Miaka sobbed, "This isn't how it's supposed to be..."_

_'This is supposed to be a book! An escape from reality! Yui CAN'T die'_

(Whoo-Hoo...Vol.1 finished! on to Vol.2...Oracle!)

Yusagi Sombermoon


	7. The Aimless Heart

Disclaimer: Don't Own FY. At all.

AN: Well, took me awhile, but as I've been meaning to say...I am trying to finish an original fiction, so that leaves little time for anything else! Instead, I recommend you read THIS fic, http/ (okay...it's not H/M...though it could be H/priestess...but I promised to advertise this! Lol! It's really a great fic, but nobody reviews it, that's hardly encouraging, now is it?)

ahem There's a bit of a time-lapse here, but Watase never stated specifically what the time rate was, so let's just pretend that the time's coincide some times.

Okay...I admit, I've been spending alot of time writing fluff, too...but this fic gets so dark, I needed a breather.

_Phoenix_: That's the key! Best of luck to you in the revision process! When you do, I'll be glad to re-read it!

_Hoshi_: Eh? I can tell you with certainty that I cut nothing from the speech(unless there was more in the anime that I didn't know about?)

_Sweet_: Aww...Nuriko will grow on you, just wait .

_FFChick:_ I couldn't agree with you more...sigh . I bet he thinks it makes him look cool...ignorant fool...;p

_Lady: _Yup, Tama/Yui is somewhat...cute. Well, I don't want to spoil too much, lady, so I can't tell you if she'll be priestess--but there'll be a lot of Miko action...Actually, ODing is less than slitting her wrists, so...not that disbelievable, when you take into account the fact that Yui thinks she's never getting home.

* * *

_The Universe of the four gods_

**Chapter 7: _The Aimless Heart_**

"Bring the Celestial warriors Nuriko and Tamahome!"

"You'll find Nuriko with Tamahome." Miaka said softly, holding Yui's hand.

She was so cold.

"Your Majesty, there is nothing more we can do." A man said, "We are not equipped to handle this type of poisoning..."

"That is _not_ acceptable!"

Her breathing was shallow and erratic, she went from sweating profusely to being as cold as ice...she never moved...what was most frightening, was that sometimes..she looked almost...peaceful...

"Yui...please don't die..." she sobbed, "you _can't _die!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Fu! Dinner's ready!" The woman called.

No reply came from the room.

"Fu! the food will get cold!"

Still nothing.

"Answer me, Fu!" The woman said, panic creeping over her, and burst into the room.

Fu was lying on the floor, unconscious.

"_FU!_"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Morin sat back in her chair, lost in thought.

_What is going on? The blood...the water..._

She looked down at her school outfit, it was perfectly dry now.

She sighed. _Nothing makes sense._

Absently, she picked up the book she had found lying on the street, and flipped through it.

"The Universe of the four gods, eh? Maybe I'll burn some time reading it..."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Miaka never left the young woman's side, shifting through a menagerie of emotions...panic, despair, assurance, guilt, and confusion.

_And there is not a thing I can do about it!_

"Your Majesty! We have them here!" A man said suddenly, rushing into the room.

"Bring them in!"

The two celestial warriors walked in shortly thereafter, slightly ruffled. When Tamahome's gaze fell on the unconscious girl, his eyes widened, and he walked up to her side, kneeling next to her. Nuriko seemed more agitated, and cast her gaze about the room anxiously.

"Did either of you see her today?"

"Yes..." Tamahome nodded, "I talked to her briefly this morning."

"And did she--"

"_Y-Yui!_" Miaka cried out suddenly, "Someone help, quick!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Guilt ate away at him as he loked down at her slim frame figure..._Whatever happened to her...it was my fault...oh, Yui, how could you do this?_

He shook his head softly, she was so pale, unmoving.

Miaka's eyes widened suddenly, and she started shaking Yui.

"Mi-"

"_Yui! Yui!_" She screamed, "Somebody help her! _She's not breathing!_"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Your majesty...I am sorry, we cannot do anything more." the man said, "If she stops breathing again, I don't think we;ll be able to save her..."

"No...it can't be.." Miaka sobbed, "This isn't how it's supposed to be!'

_This is supposed to be an escape from reality! Just a book! Yui _can't _die!_

"Is there _nothing _you can do?" Hotohori insisted.

"There _is _the rumor ofa great doctor in the northern village, but that is a several day ride away."

"We do not know if we have that long!"

"I am sorry.."

"If...If we were home, they could help her..." Miaka whispered.

"Home?" he asked.

"Yes...I know it. Once, Keisuke got too much medicine, and we took him to the hospital..."

"Perhaps...we can take her home..." The emperor said.

"What?"

"There is a way...but we must first get to Tai Yi Jun."

"Where?"

"She is in the mountains..." he said slowly, "butwe fear if we move her in this condition..."

"But if we don't..."

"Miaka..." He said, looking at her, "this is your choice, either way it may prove futile."

"I...I can't just sit here and watch her die!" Miaka sobbed, "I have to do this!"

"Then we should prepare ourselves to leave."

"B-but, Hotohori..." she said, grabbing his arm, "When she goes...I'm going with her..."

His eyes widened slightly at her tone, "Miaka...we all must do what we must. I believe you will return."

"But..."

"We have no time, we must get the celestial warriors prepared to leave, and you should prepare yourself, as well."

"The celestial warriors?"

"All celestial warriors must be present to find Tai Yi Jun."

"B-But we don't have them all!"

"As long as all of the ones accounted for are there..."

"Th-then, you too?"

"Yes..."

"But...what about Nuriko? You don't think she'd--"

"Nuriko.." He said, frowning, "I shall deal with _personally._"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"I can't explain it, Ms. Kuwa." the man said solemnly,"There is nothing physically wrong with her to explain this condition."

"What can you do?"

The man frowned. "Are you _certain _she was not taking any medications?"

"Nothing! She was perfectly healthy!"

"Well..." he sighed, "This situation is identical to one where the patient has ODed on depressants...so I could try to treat it similarly...be warned that if I am wrong about the cause of this, however, there could be some adverse effects."

"W-what will happen if you do nothing and you are right?"

"Well, if I am correct--and I usually am--she will lapse into a coma, and eventually die."

The woman gasped, "Die!"

"Yes, the depressants work to slow down the body, in extreme amounts, it causes a 'system failure' so to seak...slowing the heart until it virtually stops." the doctor explained.

"H-how long does she have?"

"Without proper treatment, we can only prevent her from lapsing into a coma for another hour at most."

"Th-then do whatever you must!" She said quickly, "Hurry! Please!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Miaka.."

She did not turn toward the voice behind her, she knew who it was...he had been there every half-hour.

"You should prepare for the trip...I understand that you do not wish to leave her side, but how will you be able to protect her on the way, if you are not rested?" He said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I can't..." She sighed, "I've tried, but I just..."

He knelt down beside her, "We _will _save her..."

"I know..." She said tightly, forcing herself to nod in agreement.

"Please..." He said suddenly, taking her chin in one hand, and turning her gently toward him, "You asked me never to lie to you...I ask of you the same."

"Wh-what?"

He shook his head firmly, "I would wish that you tell me the truth in everything...I do not wnat you to pretend you're always strong and hide your tears..."

"I..." She started.

"I do not wish you to fear me.." He whispered.

She shook her head quickly, "I don't fear you...I just..."

"Don't be ashamed of your tears...they do not make you weak..."

"I..." She coughed back a sob, and flung herself into his arms. "I'm so _scared! _I don't know what I would do if she died!"

"She _will not _die...I _refuse _to let her..." He assured, holding her tightly.

Yui made a small groan, and Miaka leapt up and spun arounf to see Yui looking straight at her, with a mischevious grin on her face.

"What was that about not thinking about boys?"

_Oh, she just had to wake up _then_, didn't she?_

"Wh-what are you talking about, Yui?" She said quickly, pressing a hand against the blonde's forehead. "hahaha, you silly girl!"

She stole a quick glance toward the emperor,_ If he even _tried _to take that the wrong way, I'm going to--_

Instead of any one of the smug or 'too innocent' looks she expected, he seemed only to be relived Yui had awakened.

_O-of course! Like he'd do something like that! He probably didn't even _understand _her!_

"Why are you laughing like an idiot, staring over at His Majesty?" Yui said suddenly.

_Oh. Crap._

"Is there something wrong, Miaka?" Hotohori asked, a mixture of confusion and concern on his face.

_Aw...now _he's _noticing! Man..._

"N-nothing's wrong!" She insisted, waving her hands about defensively.

"You're acting as if I saw something I shouldn't..." A devilish grin crept onto Yui's face, "What's wrong? Don't want me to know you've been getting all 'cuddly' with the emperor?"

_eep_

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Hotohori had the grace to blush slightly.

_No! Stop it! You'll make her think--_

"Miaka...you're spacing out on me again." Yui laughed lightly, and started to stand.

Miaka had barely registered the fact that Yui had lost her balance, before Hotohori had leapt up with an alarming speed, and caught her before she could land uncerimoniously on the bed once more.

Miaka felt her cheeks grow hot as she noted how close the two were. As Yui stuttered a 'thank-you', she slapped herself mentally._ Down girl! Bad! Bad! I can't be _jealous_! I mean, we're not--_

"Miaka, you zoning out on me constantly is _not _helping my headache, you know..." Yui sighed, pointing at her as if to emphasise her words.

"O-oh! Sorry, Yui, I was just...thinking!"

"Yeah, yeah..." Yui said dryly, "I saw that look!"

"Wh-what look?"

_eek! Now I'm never gonna hear the end of it!_

"You know..." You smirked, "The one that looked like a school-gorl watching her crush flirt with some other girl!"

"_Ha-Hah?_"

The poor emperor glanced between the two girls slowlt, more than a little lost.

"Heh..." Yui rubbed her temples with both hands. "Who I wouldn't kill for an aspirin."

"Oh no, young lady!" Miaka said sharply, suddenly remembering why Yui had been lying in the bedto beginwith. "You _are _so not touching any pills until you fess up!"

Yui's face reddened slightly with guilt, "Oh yeah...that was kind of stupid, huh?"

_"Kind of_? You could have_ died_!"Miaka snapped, feeling tears welling up in her eyes. "I was worried half to death!"

"She refused to eat or prefare to leave." Hotohori pointed out, nodding.

"Leave?" Yui asked, eyes wide.

"To Daichi-san mountain, so you could return to your world for proper treatment."

"_WHAT?_" Yui growled.

That was the only warning Miaka got before Yui leapt off of the bed and into Miaka, knocking her backwards out of her chair.

_Invalid she's NOT!_

"How _dare _you not tell me there was a way home?" Yui hissed, strangling her.

"Ugh..stop! Hotohori only just told me!" she gasped between coughs.

"Oh...you two are on a first-name basis, now, hmm?" Yui asked with a sly grin.

"Leggo!"Miaka whined, swatting at Yui's hands.

"Uhm..." Hotohori started from behind Yui, still a bit taken aback, but obviously concerned.

Yui jumped up quickly, almost comically, and after a quick stagger said innocently, "Whoops! Didn't meanto assail your empress-to-be!"

Miaka's jaw hit the floor.

_Y-YUI! You weren't supposed to _say _that! Oh, man!_

Hotohori, for his part, reddened considerably, before speaking quietly, "We...were not aware...that you had..."

"Oop." Yui muttered sheepishly.

"_YUI!_" Miaka growled, tackling her, "How _dare _you!"

"Sorry! I said sorry!" Yui laughedm trying unsuccessfully to fend off Miaka's attack.

"You _jerk!_" Miaka continued, about ready to throttle Yui to emphasize her point.

"Oh no!" Yui said suddenly, clamping a hand over her mouth, and pushing Miaka off her so she could run into the other room--most likely to throw up.

There was a short butawkward silence, before Hotohori offered her his hand to help her up.

"Uh..hh...sorry..." she said finally, looking at the floor."It's just...she's my best friend and all, so..."

"It's alright," he said lightly, "I never intended it to be a secret."

To Miaka's surprise, he reached over, and gently lifter her face up to look at his, "Otherwise, I wouldn't have let Nuriko and Tamahome listen in."

She couldn't help but giggle slightly, "You mean you knew all along?"

He sniffed haugtily before replying. "Of _course _I did, why _wouldn't _I?"

_Oh no, not that ego of his again..._

"The point I am trying to say..." he said, voice cool and collected.

_So serious suddenly...as if he wasn't serious before!_

"I want the _world _to know how I feel about you..."

She felt her cheeks light afire, and she stuttered incoherently for a minute, until she realized her face was inching closer to his.

_Oh! Is this going to be a repeat of last night? _She thought, her breath quickening slightly. _Will he actually get to kiss me this time?_

"_A-HEM!_" Came the voice of Yui from the room she had retreated to.

"Eeek!" Miaka squeaked, leaping backward, and waving her hands around frantically, "That wasn't...we weren't..I mean..."

"You weren't about to get all kissy-kissy, lovey-lovey?" Yui finished smugly. "Really?..."

"Oh, stop it!" Miaka pouted, "You're acting so immature today!"

Hotohori cleared his throat softly, and spoke. "We should go finish the preparations for the trip..."

"Prep...arations...?" Miaka asked, confused.

"You still wish herto get the proper care, correct?"

"O-of course..."

"Alright then." He said nodding, and walked out.

"But..."

Yui gave a low whistle as he closed the door.

"You didn't tell me you two had gotten _that _far!"

"Wh-what?"

"Come on! You can't tell me you didn't notice the fact that he drops the plural connotation when he's talking to you alone?"

"H-hey! That's nothing special! He does that with anyone he knows!"

"...And that _kiss, _wow!" shecontinued, mock-starry-eyed.

"_What _kiss?" Miaka growled, "There was no kiss!"

"There _would've _been!"

"_Yui!_"

"Anyway..." Yui said, stretching, and walking to the bed. "We both should get ready, too...huh?"

"But...why? You're fine, right?"

"Miaka!" Yui growled, throwing a pillow at her,"How can you say that? Your mother hasn't seen you in _months_!"

_Oh, that's right...I can see my mom..and Keisuke...tell them I'm still alive..._ She frowned slightly, _but...they'll never believe me..._

Hey! Earth to Miaka!" Yui sighed, waving a hand infront of her face. "You're forgetting the best part!"

"What...?"

"The steamy good-bye between you and your love!" Yui laughed.

"_YUI!_" Miaka shrieked, punching her.

_Steamy? How rude! He's not like that at all!_

She pouted slightly, before adding, "Not like he'll get a chance...he'll have to tag along with the rest of the Celestial Warriors all the time."

"You mean he's going with? Ooh! A romantic escapade!" She laughed, blue eyes fading to some distant object, "I wish I could do something like that..."

The pain hiding in her eyes was all to apparent to Miaka.

"Yui..."

"No, no...it's okay, I am _so _over Tamahome!"

"Liar." Miaka snorted, punching Yui on the shoulder.

"Alright, out, out." Yui said, shuffling Miaka out the door. "Now, don't forget to pack your lipstick, darling."

"Yui!"

Before she could say anything more, the dorr shut in her face. Sighing, she headed down the hall.

_I suppose I should tell Hotohori about my plans, since Mom will probably never let me out of the house again for the rest of my natural life. _She felt a pang of sadness at the thought of never returning. _Oh...I hope I come back soon..._

It was then, that she ran into Tamahome.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

_He just had to come in while I was changing, didn't he?_

"ACKK!" Yui growled, throwing the nearest thing, a book, at the intruder.

The man gave a small yelp, and dodged the book, right before it slammed into the wall.

"Whoa! Mean arm you have! Sheesh!" he mumbled, inching away from the book as if it were toxic.

"What do you want, Tamahome?" She asked in her most icy tone. _No way am I going to let that _jerk _know I'm actually happy he came to see me..._

"I...uh...sorry for barging in..." he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head with one hand, "Bad timing, I guess..."

"Whatever." She said cooly, "What is so important?"

"Uh...about this morning..." he stuttered, "I...uh...I'm..."

"What?" She growled.

"I'm sorry!" he finished quickly, "There...really..really...is nothing going on with Nuriko and I...infact...I...I..."

"You...?" She looked up at him, hope swelling in her chest once more.

_No! I mustn't get carried away! He deserves a good beating!_

"I think Nuriko was way too cruel..." he finished, cheeks red. "I...uh...hope you can make it to your world safely..."

She frowned slightly. _Well, what did you expect?_

"Is that all?"

"Uh...yeah...I guess..."

"Then will you leave so I can change?"

"Oh..uh, right!" he said quickly, backing out of the room and shutting the door.

"Tamahome...you _jerk!_"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

With every step, it seemed almosr as if his pace was quickening, and his irritation...yes...even his anger at the Warrior Nuriko, grew.

_Now, that's not ver 'emperorish' of you, is it? _The reasonable part of his mind taunted.

_Be silent! I have every reason to be angry with her!_

_Yes...but does a good emperor wear his emotions on his sleeves? No._

_This is more important than some 'image'! Because of her...Miaka has to.. _He shook his head quickly, _No! I can't think like that! Miaka _will _return! She _has _to!_

"Um...Hotohori?"

He froze.

Glancing behind himself, he saw Miaka standing a little ways from him, fidgeting nerviously. What he saw in her eyes caused his heart to sink to the floor.

**CH end**

**

* * *

**

AN: Okay...so Yui is a tad OOC, but I remind you, I really only have Tomo's illusion to work with, so it is somewhat difficult..also, she's a little off, lingering effect of the pills...

**_Preview of Chapter 8:_**

_"I know we will meet again..." he insisted, holding her tighter._

_"Oh! I'm ruining your robe!" She exclaimed, trying to pull back so her tears wouldn't stain the expensive silk._

_However, his arms did not relent._

_"I have plenty to spare..." He said in a hoarse whisper._

_It was then, that se noticed his cheeks were almost as damp as hers._

MWAHAHAHAH

-Yusagi Sombermoon


	8. A Dark Invitation

Disclaimer: I do not own FY

AN: Ah! I am SOOO sorry I haven't updated lately!

Anyway, from here on out, things get...interesting. and totally AU! XD

* * *

_The Universe of the four gods_

**Chapter 8: _A dark invitation_**

Miaka frowned slightly as she walked down the hall, replaying the scene in her mind that she had just experienced with Tamahome.

_He cringed visibly at her death glare and grinned sheepishly._

_"Goin' to talk to Yui? She's up now."_

_"Is she? Good. I want to apologize..."_

_She grabbed his arm as he passed._

_"You hurt Yui ever again, and I swear, Celestial Warrior or no, I'll kill you and Nuriko both."_

_"I don't think so." he said softly, not looking at her._

_"What?" She growled._

_"Because...I swore that if I ever hurt her like that again..." he continued, "I'd kill _myself_ long beforeanyone could kill me."_

_Wow...that was pretty heavy. _She mused, then grinned broadly, _But more importantly...how cool was I?...As if I could ever go through with that threat...but Tamahome seemed to believe me, so...Yeah! That's what I'll do! I'll just go up to Hotohori and..._

She sighed in defeat,_Oh, yeah right...I'm like freaking putty when he's around._

And then she saw Hotohori ahead of her, walking rather quickly down the hall. If she didn't know better, she might've thought he was fuming.

_Whoah! No way he's fuming! I just _can't _picture that! Of course...it's the super calm ones that have the horrible tempers. _She shuddered slightly at the thought, then discarded it, _No way! Nuh-uh! Not him!_

As if to prove it to herself, she called out to him loudly. He immediately stopped and turned around to greet her. His soft chestnut eyes seemed so innocent then, that all thoughts of bluntly 'telling it as it was' flew from her mind.

_Darn it, that man is not _that _innocent, and you _know _it! _she chided herself, remembering the last night.

Despite her chastisements, she was only able to continue in a stuttering voice, "H-hotohori...I...I..."

He seemed to read her expression, and his face fell.

With a small cry, she leapt forward and grabbed his hands.

"I'll...I'll be back! I promise!"

His eyes were widened slightly with something bordering on shock or hurt.

"Y-You see...I have to go back!" She pleaded. "My mother has to be so worried about me now!"

"I understand..."

"A-and...and when I go...my mother...my...she..." She choked back a sob. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I...I.._lied_!"

"What?"

"I'll...probably...she'll never..." She gave a soft sob. "I'm so sorry...I _wanted _to stay here...I want _so _much to be your priestess...and...and..." She trailed off. _How can I tell him at a time like this that I actually considered saying 'yes'? For a few moments I thought I'd give up everything? He'd never believe me now! _"I...I can't..."

"Miaka..." He whispered, drawing her close to him in an embrace. "I promise, no matter how long you take, no matter how many years, I will wait for you..."

"But...what if...what if I never come back?"

"Then when I am reborn, I will be with you...death is not a barrier."

She couldn't hold back her sobs anymore, clinging to his robes. "I'm so _scared_! I want to be able to see you again! I can't imagine just...never...never..."

"I _know _we will meet again." He insisted, holding her tight. "Do not worry yourself, Miaka, please."

"Oh! I'm ruining your robe!" She exclaimed, trying to pull back so her tears would not stain to expensive silk. However, his tight embrace prevented her from moving more than an inch away, and he did not seem likely to loosen his grip any time soon.

"I have plenty to spare..." He said in a hoarse whisper.

It was then that she noticed his cheeks were nearly as damp as hers.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

After a little bit of panicked scurrying, the group managed to get prepared mostly on time.

_I guess I really did distract Hotohori too much..._

"You can stop blushing like a madwoman and start loading that packhorse now, Miaka." Yui said dryly, strapping a backpack onto the horse Miaka was standing next to.

"Ah! Aren't you supposed to be resting or something!"

"I'm not _sick, _Miaka." Yui sighed, then her eyes gleamed as she cast a glance over Miaka's shoulder. "Hey, look! Here comes your betrothed!"

"Wha—hey! Don't talk like that!" Miaka sputtered irritably. Nevertheless, she did turn around.

He was wearing 'common' clothes now, no royal adornments whatsoever, in what was probably a futile attempt to blend in with the citizens.

Miaka had to hide in a cloak, since her clothes were so different, and she did not think to bring a change of clothes to the library. She stole a glance at her friend, who was wearing a spare dress from one of the handmaidens.

_How come nobody suggested _I _wear some of those?_

Yui gave her an evil smile, as if she had read Miaka's thoughts. "Because you wouldn't be in one of these _five minutes_ before you tore it to shreds!"

"Hey!"

_Man…just for that, I am _so_ going to make Hotohori let me wear one! _She blushed slightly at the thought. _Listen to me! Thinking our 'relationship' is so…so _progressed_ that he'd just let me do anything I asked! …Even though he would…_

"Would you do everyone a favor, and quit _mooning _over him every other minute?" Yui sighed. "It's sickening!"

"What are you—"

"Are you certain you do not want an escort?" The advisor said worriedly, probably not for the first time, and if their preparations took much longer, not for the last.

"No, no…we would like to inspect the domain on our own."

"But, Your Majesty…" Another one interjected. "No matter how casual your garments are, your elegance cannot be hidden."

Hotohori laughed then, smiling broadly, and pointed at the advisor. "You speak the truth, so I shall not consider it flattery."

Miaka almost tripped over her own feet when she heard that, and groaned in irritation. "Oh, you big narcissist!"

"What, Miaka?" He asked, glancing over at her.

"Nothing…"

"What horse would you like to ride?" He said suddenly.

"Uh…horse?" She laughed nervously.

Images of the only time she had been near a horse flashed like a horror show through her mind. _Ohh…not pretty…_

"Miaka?" He asked politely. Clearly, she had spaced out again.

"What she's trying to say…" Yui snickered. "Is that she couldn't ride a horse to save her life."

"Oh! If that's the case, you'll just have to ride with me." He said, walking up to her and sweeping her off her feet.

"_Hey!_ Just cause I'm shorter than you doesn't mean—" Miaka couldn't finish what she was saying before she was seated in the saddle of the evil beast Yui had been loading up.

She fidgeted nervously a bit, and the horse snorted in irritation.

"That dress compliments you, Miss Hongo." Hotohori said, smiling.

"Oh…thanks…" Yui said, blushing slightly.

Without thinking, Miaka snorted akin to her horse. _Well I oughta… _She frowned slightly at herself. _Oughta what? Man…I hate being jealous._

Before she realized it, Hotohori climbed onto the horse with one fluid movement, and began adjusting the reigns nonchalantly.

_I shouldn't be impressed…it's not like _any_ of his movements _aren't_ fluid! _She flushed slightly. _Whoops…maybe this is a bad time to be thinking about his movements…_

Yui shook her head and walked away chuckling, ignoring the tongue Miaka stuck out at her.

_Like you can ride any better! …I think…_

She was shocked out of her thoughts by Hotohori curling an arm around her waist, and leaning into her hair to whisper a soft greeting. "You look beautiful as always…"

She flushed deeply and elbowed him. At his hurt look, however, she quickly relented and gave him a quick backward-hug-thing. It was more of a snuggle than a hug, really, but he seemed quite pleased to return it, either way.

_Ohhh…this might be a long trip… _She realized suddenly.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

He frowned as he watched Miaka and the emperor acting all lovey-dovey as they waited for the rest of the group to get ready.

_Oh, that is _so_ inappropriate, and they know it! Well…Miaka might not…_

He glanced down at Yui, who was wandering through the horses near him, looking a little lost. He gave another glance at the 'happy couple'…it was not that he was jealous…never that.

Still glaring at the pair, he scooped up Yui, and placed her in yje saddle in front of him—despite her protests.

"The less horses we use the less notice we draw, and that's a good thing." He explained. "And I really.._really_…don't want to ride with Nuriko."

"Hey!" The voice of his nemesis rang out. "Why, Tama-baby, how _could _you?"

"Do what?" He sighed irritably.

"Taking up with that two-bit tramp instead of _me_!"

"Not now…."

"Why I—" She cut off abruptly.

Surprised, Tamahome glanced up at her. _Odd…she looks a little pale…_

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Secretly, she hoped Tamahome would try something like Hotohori had with Miaka…despite the voice in her head that swore she would clobber him if he did. Naturally, he did not.

The entire reason he grabbed her was Nuriko. Of course, as soon as he mentioned her, she appeared.

_Speak of the devil…_

Nuriko's voice had just about become too much for Yui, when the emperor turned a death-glare on the woman. Not so surprisingly, her mouth snapped shut like a clam.

_Looks like someone was getting on his nervers…he even ended his cute little cuddling session for it…I'd say someone's going to be in trouble later…_

Judging by Nuriko's expression, she fully understood this.

Yui smiled slightly at the fact that a simple look from one man was all that was needed to silence the incorrigible Nuriko.

_It's good to be king._

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Miaka was not sure if she was more upset or surprised when Hotohori pulled away from her without so much as another word. When she glanced over her shoulder in an attempt to see him, her eyes fell on Nuriko.

She looked quite pale, and she quivered as if she were glued in place.

_What the…?_

Miaka glanced over to Hotohori for an explanation, but he seemed oblivious to Nuriko, as he set about making sure everything was well secured to the horse.

"Uh…Hotohori?"

"Yes?" He answered, glancing up.

"Uh…nothing…" She said quickly, fighting not to blush.

_Just stupid! No way there's a connection! Nevertheless, he _did_ say he would 'deal with her'._

"Are we all prepared to leave?" He asked calmly.

"Well…Nuriko isn't saddled up yet…" Tamahome said.

This time Miaka was able to turn fast enough to see Hotohori cast a glance in Nuriko's direction, and speak.

"Did the Seraglio not teach you to saddle a horse, Nuriko?" She could not see his face, but although his tone was neutral enough, judging from Nuriko's reaction, it was not very nice.

"Wow!"

He glanced at her questioningly.

"I've never met anyone who could turn an innocent question into that with just 'the look'!"

"What are you talking about, Miaka?" He asked, eyes wide and innocent…too innocent.

She leaned back against him comfortably. "Do they teach you that in 'Emperor School'?"

He gave an exasperated sigh, and held her with one arm. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Miaka."

"That's okay…half the time you never do, anyway." At his hurt look, she leaned closer and hugged him back. "But I wouldn't want it any other way."

"AH-hem!" Yui's voice cut into the little semi-reality Miaka had slipped into. "They _do _have rooms for that kind of stuff, you know!"

Squeaking in embarrassment, she jerked away from him. Of course, she had to klutz out and smack her head into his chin…causing him to bite his tongue rather painfully. His hands flew up and clamped over him mouth protectively, as he blinked back tears.

"Ahh! I'm _so _sorry!"

"It's alright…" he laughed. " I've just completely lost my image…nothing important."

"Sorry, sorry, sorry!" She babbled, clasping her hands in a pleading motion.

Without words, he grabbed her wrists, and pulled her closer to him, eyes intense.

_Whoa! I'm feeling another one of those 'kiss moments' coming on!_

It seemed her heartbeat raced faster and faster the closer he got to her.

_I wonder what it'll be like…_

His eyes began to slide shut, and hers followed his lead.

_This time we actually will!_

If only she had not sneezed.

It was only his unnaturally great reflexes that saved him from another facial bruise.

"Oops?" She giggled looking up at him sheepishly.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Yui stared in silent shock. _Curse you, Miaka…how do you do that?_

After the emperor had given Nuriko a disgusted look, the two had gotten awfully close…so close she could not resist commenting.

Miaka's absurd overreaction to the realization that she was still out in the open nearly made Yui fall off of her horse. If Tamahome had not supported her, she probably would have.

_I don't _believe _it! She _head butted _the _emperor

To her surprise, after a teary-eyed moment—once he confirmed all his teeth were still perfect—he simply laughed it off.

_Then again…that's the least of what Miaka has done to the poor man…all the times she's tripped over his robes, gotten tangled up in his hair—oh, he wasn't happy about that! _She barely suppressed a giggle as she recalled Miaka and the emperor's misadventures. _Like the time she tripped and caught on his favorite robe…ripping the entire bottom half! I was _so _sure he was going to cry…or hold a royal funeral for it…_

But Miaka had always charmed her way out of trouble, and she was doing it again…he had forgiven her so much he was about to kiss her.

_Wait—he's gonna kiss her! _She realized then where they were—ancient China. _Whoa! In public? In daylight? What about decency rules! He is so _brazen_! …Then again…he _is _the emperor, so I guess he can get away with it.._

Unconsciously, Yui leaned forward expectantly, watching the two. Someone swatted the back of her head lightly.

"Don't you know that's _rude_?" Tamahome reprimanded. "And that _is _the emperor."

"R-right! Wouldn't want him to use his 'emperor fu' look on _me_!"

"What?"

Yui did not get a chance to reply, before Miaka sneezed. Yui could not help but roll her eyes. _Typical._

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Luckily, the trip continued with no more difficulties, and they traveled what felt like a long way into the forest by the time it was dark.

"We will make camp here." Hotohori said, halting his white stallion.

"About time…" Miaka groaned, more than a little saddle-sore.

Once again, Hotohori swept her up in his arms, and placed her on the ground.

"A fire would probably attract animals and bandits…" Tamahome said.

"You are correct." Hotohori nodded, "We can eat in the morning."

Although her stomach protested the lack of food, the thought of rest brought up memories of two nights before, and her face flushed brightly. _Oh..this is going to be awkward…_

"Come on, Miaka…" Yui said, grabbing her arm, and dragging her a little way from where the others were setting up camp. "Let's get some sleep."

"N-no sleeping bag?"

"It's warm enough!"

Reluctantly, Miaka lay back on a backpack pillow on the grass. _I can't sleep yer! I have too much to talk about!_

Of course, as soon as her head hit the pillow, she was asleep.

--

When her eyes next opened, the sky was black, and she could hear the rest of her party snoring. Well…Yui, Tamahome, and Nuriko, who were sprawled out on the grass, were snoring…but the oh-so-prim form of the emperor, curled almost cat-like against the tree, seemed to make more of a purr.

_Now isn't that cute!_

Sighing, she rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. To her supreme irritation, it did not work. Snorting, she rolled the other way. No deal. With another sigh, she sat up, and eyed the 'purring' form of the emperor.

_That looks awfully comfy…_

Quickly, she glanced around the camp once more. Everyone was still asleep. She glanced ahain at her coveted sleep spot.

_It's not like its anything bad…like its actually a bed…and noone's up now anyway…and he definitely wouldn't mind… _She blushed slightly, and shook her head. _No no, nothing dirty! Don't be guilty about it! It's cold—perfectly natural!_

Despite her winning arguments, she sat for a full five minutes before finally sighing softly, and leaning forward, finally deciding to try.

Someone clamped a hand over her mouth from nowhere, and she screamed. Or, at least she tried.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

He had woken when he heard the telltale sounds of something in the forest. He slid one eye partially open to scan the clearing he was in, It was probably just an animal, but one could never be too certain.

The camp was still…everyone was asleep…with the exception of Miaka, who was sitting upright, deep in contemplation.

_What is she doing awake now? _He thought, almost nervous. Perhaps what was unnerving about her strange behavior, was that her gaze was trained solely on him. Oh yes, she glanced surruptiously about the camp once in awhile, but primarily, she was staring at him.

_What…is she doing?_

Before he could begin to consider asking her, a form leapt out of the bushes and clamped a hand around Miaka's mouth. However, before the creature had reached her, Hotohori was on his feet, snatching his sword with a cry, and leaping at his assailant.

The foul creature quickly pulled Miaka up into the path of his strike, and he had no choice but to deflect his blow at the last moment.

"The Priestesss iss oursss now!" The thing hissed, edging backward.

"Release her _immediately!_" He cried, clenching his sword tightly.

"Ssay goodbye!"

"Mfll Mfllhmme!" Miaka cried, tears forming in her eyes.

"_MIAKA!_" He cried, lunging toward her. He only passed though her as she faded away. "_MIIAKAA!_"

His strength fled him, and he fell to his knees. _Miaka…_

"Your Highness…"

Of course, they would be awake now…_But they're all too late…_

When he turned to see who was speaking to him, he did not know if he tried to appear intimidating or pathetic. By the look of pity that flashed in Yui Hongo's eyes, it was more of the latter that he appeared.

"They left this." She said, handing him a folded note.

Tentatively, he unfolded it and read the barely legible words scrawled on it.

_If you want to see the priestess again,_

_Come to city of Tai-Tu by next sundown_

_Otherwise, her bye bye is forever_

That last line caused a surge of rage within him such as he had never felt before, and he crunched up the note as if he were wringing the life out it, fantasizing, no, _willing_ it to be that if he crushed the note enough, it would crush the soul of the author of it, too. He had not realized he was trembling, or even growling, until he gave a cry that was more of a roar than anything human, and flung the pulverized note into the air, hacking at it mercilessly with his sword, until confetti would have looked ungainly next to it.

He slammed his fist into the ground where it landed, and ground it into the dirt for good measure.

_No one threatens Miaka! No one!_

"Jeez, I take it they had bad handwriting?" Tamahome said lightheartedly, most likely trying to cheer up the group.

However, when Hotohori turned his ire on Tamahome, laughter became the last thing on the miser's mind.

Oh yes, it was then that Tamahome learned the _true _horror of 'Emperor Fu'.

**CH END

* * *

**

AN: Ah-hah-hah…that was odd. But things get REALLY fun next chapter! (What have I done to the CANNON! XD)

Actually, I originally planned for Yui and Tama to be captured, and then just Yui, then Yui and Miaka… somehow I ended up with this (Oh poo, did I give anything away with that…?)

Sorry if Hotohori's a bit harsh or forward this time! Meep! I'l go yell at him and make him nicer and subtler…I hope…

'Emperor Fu'…that was a truly random idea I invented for Yui…and somehow apparently it leaked—behold my awesome authoress powers as I totally overuse it to the point of painfulness! Muah ha ha!

I don't think Hotohori's display was all that scary…I think its endearing that he gets so worked up over Miaka, don't you think?

And…um…sorry to any Tama-haters (or anyone who agrees that Hotohori needs to layeth the smacketh on Tama…) Hoto did not physically beat up Tama…(but a scary look from an angry emperor…well...maybe Tama would have preferred the beatdown…)

**_Preview (subject to change!)_**

_"THIS ISN'T FAIR!" He whined, looking around the room with a desparation that almost bordered on madness._

_"It's very fair...all you have to do is get across the room without touching any of the gold."_

_The man whimpered, then deftly dodged to the right as a golden statue fell from apparently nowhere to where he was just standing. "THEN STOP DROPPING THINGS ON ME!"_

-Yusagi Sombermoon


	9. Awakening Memories

Disclaimer: Don't think I own FY. If I do, tell me, would ya?

AN: Heads up, Hotohori is a bit...um...he has a bit of an attitude, this chapter, but can you blame him? No sleep, ceaseless travel...soreness...lispy bad guys...I'm mildly shocked he's retained his sanity. Anyway...hopefully I've kept these poor people IC through the very OOC situations I'm about to throw em in...>.>;

And oooh the fun I had with this OOC situations...don't worry, they'll all be explained. ;)

heh, the notes I scribbled to myself are...interesting...XD

Remember...hair/eye colors and such are mine own interpretation of the B/W manga and covers, not anime. ;)

And I literally cannot do anything about the lack of spaces--this editor randomly deletes spaces when I save it.

* * *

_The Universe of the Four gods_

**Chapter 9: _Awakening Memories_**

Yui glanced over at her companion, Tamahome seemed to still be in a state of shock from his first experience with 'Emperor Fu'.

_Well, his first time _was _pretty intense...even the backlash of it was terrifying. Whoever said 'looks cant kill' never met an angry, priestess-less, Chinese emperor before! _She suppressed a shudder at the thought of him giving such a harsh look to _her_. _You certainly don't have to worry about your man protecting you once we get back, Miaka...aside from the occassional kidnapping, anyway._

She shook her head. _Who needs weapons when you've got looks like _that_? That's not a look, that's a martial art!_

Yui sighed as her throbbing feet reminded her of reality. Whoever grabbed Miaka had thought to scare away the horses first_. Either they scared them, or acertain 'martial arts'_ master _scared them away himself, and won't admit it. _She stole a glance at the fuming monarch at the thought of his ire scaring even the horses away.

Said monarch's hard gaze immediately flickered toward her own, and she turned quickly away, willing herself not to jump.

_He's been like this ever since she disappeared...he probably blames himself somehow for not rescuing her when she was clearly on the other side of the camp...it's my fault for dragging her there..._ Yui sighed softly. _You better hurry up and start _distracting _that man again, Miaka, before I go insane!_

"Darn it!" Tamahome snapped suddenly.

All eyes turned to him.

"What now, _Tamahome_?" The emperor said with a chill in his voice that was almost visible.

_Hmm...I guess he hasn't forgiven him for the 'handwriting' incident yet... _Yui thought, glancing between the two.

"At this rate we'll _never _make the sundown deadline!" When it seemed the emperor was considering taking out his frustration on the warrior, the boy quickly added on to his statement. "I'm not trying to say we won't rescue her...I'm just saying we need horses!"

"Is Our sight failing Us? Do you see a group of horses We have missed?"Yui had not heard sarcasm in his voice before...it did not suit his smooth drawl at all.

"Obviously not, Your Majesty." Tamahome sighed. "I mean we should try one of the surrounding villages! There's one near here...and we can get horses there!"

"We know which one you speak of, and that is out of the question." He said cooly. "It is in the opposite direction."

"We'll easily make back the time on horseback!"

"No."

"Your Majesty--"

"_NO!_"

Yui shook her head slowly. _Oh great...I guess I have no choice...Suzaku, or whatever, let me live...I want to graduate first._

She took a breath to steady her shaky nerves, and spoke before her fear could interfere with her logic...or perhaps before her logic could interfere with her rashness. "_Xing Shu!_"

The man reacted immediately...with one of _those_glares. Despite her resolve, she cringed slightly. _Wow, who knew a look could be so terrifying?_

"Alright, look here...I care about Miaka just as much--no, I care about her _more_ than you do! We've been friends since kindergarden, and there's no way I'd ever sit back and let anyone hurt her!" She paused a moment, daring him to contradict her.

_Yeah! Student-fu! That's what I'll...oh...forget it. You are dead. You are _so _executed. You. Are. Screwed._

He did not try to contradict her, however, so she continued her speech. "I _realize _the only thing we can do is getthose horses, sostopbeing so stubborn!"

"You do not know the land as well as We do."

"_I don't care!_"

He raised a cool eyebrow.

"You...you..." She gave him her best glare, but he seemed impervious to her attack. "You think you can just go and marry _my _best friend, and keep her stuck here for all her life? Well...then...first you have to go through _me_!"

"You?" He asked, his irritation apparently fading to mild interest.

"Yeah! And I won't let some...some self-possessed _show off_ anywhere _near_ Miaka!" Yui growled, balling her fist as she gathered steam. "Your show of overly stoic determination isn't impressing _anyone_! You're just wasting time you should be saving Miaka with!"

His eyes had narrowed through her speech, and if she had not worked herself up into the steam she was currently in, she might have ran and hid behind Tamahome from the force of his glare. As it was, it seemed to only fuel her frustrated fury.

"Since when did Miaka _care _about your stupid pride! If you feel anything for her--if you love her as much as she thinks you do, you'll give up your stupid pity-party, and get those horses so we can _save_ her! We all messed up when we let her get kidnapped...and we'll never make that mistake again." She shook her head quickly, chewing her bottom lip, and fighting the sudden urge to let herself fall into tears. "But if you don't get your act together, we'll never get the _chance _to!"

_Oh yeah, I'm dead...I'm so dead...I am _SO_--_

He gave a resigned sigh, his tensed shoulders sagging. "You are correct...our only hope is to retrace our steps and hope the stables have horses already saddled."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

She gave a long, loud, yawn as the world returned to her.

_Whoa...I guess it really _was_ comfy...I can't even remember falling asleep! _She thought to herself, marvelling at how it felt as if she were floating in air, warm and snuggled close. She felt her cheeks flush slightly as she wondered if he'd slung an arm around her and held her tight. The thought made her snap awake. _I need to get up and move before people think bad things!_

She opened her eyes quickly to give a furtive glance around the clearing. Strangely...it still seemed to be dark...

_Wait...this...this isn't the camp..._

Her eyes widened slowly as she scanned the darkness. The only light came from a dim flickering fire almost directly below her. Below where with a start, she realized she was suspended in air by tight ropes, and a rude gag.

_OH! That snakey dude! Hotohori! Where am I!_

"So...you have awakened?" A voice whispered from the dark, like a thousand bebes rolling across satin.

"Who are you?" She asked nervously.

At least, she _tried_ to say that...with her gag it came out as a few muffled squeaks.

The creature seemed to understand her, however, and gave a skin-crawlingly dry laugh. It reminded her of a field full of dry reeds blowing in the wind. Or perhaps it was like two sheets of sandpaper rubbing against each other. Miaka never _had_ been very good analogies.

"I am everything that will be your eventual downfall." It said in a distinctly mocking tone. "I amthe bringer of everything you fear, the destroyer of everything you love, and the embodiment of everything you deny."

"Wh-what?" She garbled. "What kind of a name is that?"

The creature seemed to pointedly ignore her statement, continuing on with his monologue. "Already your friendsbegin tonourish the seeds of discontentment I have planted in them!They will tear each other to pieces _long _before they will ever be able to rescue you!"

As it spoke, a hazy image of her companions shimmered into view in front of her. Yui, Hotohori, and Tamahome stood in some sort of face-off on a forest trail, each giving each other looks that would melt the paint right offofthe side of a building,while Nuriko looked generally irritated in the background.

_What's going on?How can they look at each other with such...such undisguised loathing? It's not right...not at all!_ She shuddered slightly as she watched the scene unfold. _Hotohori reminds me of my father when he glares like that..._

She shook her head. _Although, with his hair it just ends up...almost petulant. _She gave a faint smile in spite of herself. _It's still cute..._

"Hey! Suffer mental anguish much?" The creature snapped suddenly. "You're supposed to be tormented! Yell at them to stop fighting already!"

"Why?" Miaka asked, blinking. "It's about time Yui got over her timidity around him, and picked a fight. She never befriends _anyone_ until she's gotten into a good fistcuff with them."

"B-but..alright...look at your beloved Emperor!" The voice sounded a bit desperate. "His sweet and kind demeanor...it was all just a trick!"

"What...?" Miaka said, blinking in confusion. "He's human, isn't he? If he's human than Yui can get under his skin--besides, isn't it _sweet _that he's so worried about _you _kidnapping me, that he doesn't have time for all that royal pleasantries he so loves to hang on to?"

"Hey--stupid girl--if they aren't here by sundown, I _kill_ you!" He hissed, sounding rather exasperated.

_Huh?_

"_HEY!_ Get into gear already!" She yelled, attempting to kick the air in emphasis. "Priestess in _distress _here!"

Naturally, the gag muffled her words horribly, so even if they _could _hear her, the could not possibly _understand _her.

She put on her best puppy eyes.

"No." The creature said flatly.

Ignoring his statement, she doubled force. "Please, can you take off the gag for just a bit?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Pahuuuulllleeeaaazzzz?"

"_NO! NOT NOW, NOT EVER!_" The creature spat.

"Not even to eat?"

Her inquiry was met only with silence.

"Um...kidnapper person?"

Still nothing.

"But...I'm really hungry..."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

He glanced toward the horizon and bit back a very un-royal curse. _We are not even halfway there, and the sun is almost under the hills! _

They were already pushing their horses far beyond their limits, and performing stunts that would be absurdly dangerous at a canter...and were downright insane at a gallop.

_We will not make it in time! I _knew _we could not spare the time for the villiage! Now... _He shook his head quickly. _No! I will not let her be harmed! Not as long as I still breathe! Suzaku...give me another chance to save her...I will not fail again!_

Abruptly, he found himself plunged into absolute darkness. Startled, the horse reared violently and sent him sprawling uncerimoniously onto his back. As there was no muffled laughter--or any sort of sound--he concluded he alone had been thrown...where ever he was.

_Where am I...?_

"_Mmflmflme?_"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

She was still arguing with the creature when a lone rider burst into the darkness in a blinding flash of reddish light. The figure's horse immediately panicked and ejected its rider rather rudely onto the hard floor. After being freed of its rider, the horse bolted into the darkness somewhere, leaving the disgruntled rider to pick themself up.

_Wait...that's..._

"_Hotohori!_" She gasped, then mentally cursed once more the filthy rag that hindered her ability to speak.

He instantly looked up at her. "Miaka!"

"Get me down! Get me down! Get! Me! _Down_!"

Of course, her words came out incoherent gibberish, but he seemed to get the gist of what she meant, and ran toward her.

"Not sso quickly!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Yui gave a shocked scream as the emperor and his horse vanished in a poof of black smoke "D-did you _see_ that?"

"No. Because we are all _blind_." Tamahome retorted from behind her.

"Where did he go?"

"Do I look like the mystical-type to _you_?" Tamahome replied with an irritated growl.

She did not get a chance to reply, before they were launched into darkness.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"If you want to ssave her..." It hissed from the darkness, only a pair of gleaming golden eyes represented the voice in the gloom. "Then you must firsst run the gauntlet!"

With a loud snap, the area between he and Miaka erupted into toweringgreenish flames, which quickly receded to either side ofa narrow pathway littered with the most trecherous and terrible traps imaginable. At the end of the path of horrors, Miaka was suspended in air by a rope of ambiguous origin. Under her was a strange device that displayed the number **1000**. Said number was lessening rapidly.

_This...this vile thing...it must have clawed its way from the very depths of hell! _He thought in horrified revulsion, transfixed by the sight of the so-named 'gauntlet'.

"Mmll! Spll Mny _mmsssmlf_!Mrnm!"

Hewinced slightly at her tone_. She sounds rather upset...not good..._

"_Hello_ over there?" The voicehissed suddenly."When that counter reachess zero, rope breaks and girl fallss to _doom_!"

"_Mmfl! _Aftl urr rmn mmnvrng!"

Now she was _really _getting riled up...

Scowling at the bubbling mud-pit in front of him, he made a running leap at it, hoping his warrior-abilities would allow him to cross it in one bound. Unfortunately, it seemed he made a slightmiscalculation.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Miaka gasped in shock when the 'course' was revealed by the creature. There were three stages, a large mud-pool, a corridor thick with flying and swinging blades, and a shallow but wide pit of snakes.

Of course, she doubted her would-be rescuer had yet noticed any of it aside from the first stage. If he had, he most certainly was only _concerned _with the first. His dark eyes were wide with horror and disgust as he stared at the bubbling cesspool of filth barring his path. His skin was unnaturally pale, and his expression was almost scandilized. From where she was, it almost looked like he was even trembling in terror or repulsion.

_I don't believe it. My rescue is going to be ruined by his never-ending _narcissism

"Hey! Cut out the narcissism and _rescue_ me already!"

From the flicker of discomfort that flashed across his face, he seemed to understand her meaning, despite the annoying cloth.

A hissing cauldron of greenish acid materialized under Miaka without warning, and a creepy ticking sound began to echo through the darkness.

"When that counter reaches zero, girl falls to doom!"

_Huh? That's not fair!_

Frantically, she looked around for the counter, wondering how long she had, and just how much timme her dear Emperor's childishness had wasted. After a moment, she identified what had to be the timer-thing, but it was angled so that she could not see the time on it.

_I could only have...like...30 seconds!_

"_Come on! _Get off your rear and save me!"

He glanced up at her for an instant, then scowled at the pool as if it were his worst enemy, before making a dashing leap at it. With something of a whimper, he splashed into it halfway across.

_Oh...he won't be happy about that._

It what had to be record time, he crossed the remainer of the filth, and leapt out onto the shore. He paused to give a death-glare at the puddle, before attempting to brush off some of the excess filth that now covered him completely.

_Somehow I doubt his eagerness was on my account..._

After frowning at the next challenge, he sighed nonchalantly and began to carefully coil his hair up into a compact bun.

"_What_ do you think you are _doing_?" She growled

He glanced up at her with a look that said 'I love and all...but not the hair.'

_Oh...your stupid hair ismore important than me, huh? You just wait till I get this gag off! I'll...I'll...chew it off!_

With a careless shrug, he dove into the blades.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

He could hear her terrified scream ring across the darkness every a blade swung within a foot of him. He was not sure if it was distressing or reassuring. Still, he could not help a slight smile as he glanced up at her. _I will get her to admit her love for me yet..._

He was about to say something to calm her, but her eyes widened nearly more than what would be humanly possible, and gave a disctively different scream than her previous ones. "MMMK OOOD!"

It certainly did not take a genious to work that one out. Ducking insticively, a rather large blade whizzed above his head. Of course, it was safely away from his hair, as well.

With only a few more graceful twists and rolls, he made it through without once coming close to a blade again.

_Snake pit? That is the best they could do for a final test?_

Drawing his sword, he leisurely stepped into the pit. As the ground began to rumble, he realized that was the _worst_ thing he could have done.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

He groaned slightly as consciousness returned to him. _Where am I?_

A voice echoed from the shadows eerily, although the room appeared empty. "So...you are awake?"

"Who are you? Where am I?" He asked, glancing around for the source of the voice.

"If you wish to save the priestess, you must face your fears, and travel through these rooms--without touching anything other than the dirt floor, the walls,and thedoors."

"Where are Yui and Nuriko? What did you _do _with them?"

"Wait...aren't you worried about your priestess or emperor?"

He blinked. "You kidnapped them, too?"

He heard something like a crash from the other side of the room. "_What? _You think there's two unrelated kidnappers that just _happen _to want to kidnap the same people at the same time?"

"It could happen!" He insisted with a growl. "There's no way some bodiless freak like you could have kidnapped his Majesty, anyway!"

"Of course not. He gave himself up willingly when I demonstrated I was not afraid to _kill _to get what I wanted."

"D-demonstrate? How?"

_He couldn't have killed Nuriko! There's no way..._

"Oh, no one of importance...you would be of little use to me if I killed one of your pathetic warriors." It chortled. "The choice was made all the simpler by the insubordination of that little blonde one...she should have known when to be silent."

He felt the heat in his blood seep away. "You..._Y-you..._" Crying in fury, Tamahome leapt up from his crouching position, and leapt at the wall the crash had come from, _ogre_ symbol lighting the room in a bright reddish glow. He collidedviolentlywith the earthen wall, but no person stood where he had aimed.

"Do you want to kill the priestess, too?" The voice tsked. "She is replacable, and I will not hesitate to remove her as well. She is annoying."

As if to reinforce its point, the wall only a few feet away from Tamahome shimmered a moment, then formed a hazy image. A rusty cage stood starkly against gray stone walls, and encased his four friends.Miaka was sobbing into the ruined coat of the emperor, who seemed to be rocking her gently, while he stared sadlydown at the crumpled form of a blonde girl. Nuriko was straining against the bars to no effect.

The blood that stained the torn clothes of the crumpled figure made it almost unrecognizable...but the blonde hair could belong to only one girl.

It felt as if his heart had suddenly been torn away from his chest and into whatever voidthe girl had travelled to, wishing desperately to follow her.

_She was...I was holding her only minutes ago...how...? _He shook his head quickly, trying unsuccessfully to banish the horrible image from his mind.

"Yui..." He did not even realize he had spoken, but the name echoed hollowly through the room all the same. It felt so cold...so wrong...so unbearably warm and alive for it to be the name of a girl who was gone...no...it was much too beautiful a name to be marred in such a way.

She was much too beautiful of a girl to be marred such.

As abruptly as it left him, his heart returned, aflame in fury and determination, and he turned eyes glowing with undisguised hatred at the voice. "If I play your game and win...I'll kill _you _at the end of it."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

When the mass of snakes began to coil about itself and rear into a massive basilisk-like form, Miaka's horrified screams had no difficulty translating through the gag.

_This could pose a difficulty._

As the creature finished forming, it narrowed its 'eyes' menacingly. "Did you think you were done?" It gave a hissing laugh. "Not nearly! You will never reach your priesstesss in time, and I will feast on your flessh for dinner!"

"We shall see." He said simply, gripping his sword tightly. _I will _not _let Miaka die!_

Apparently dissatisfied by the response, the snake gave an angry hiss, and lunged at him, gigantic fangs bared and rattling. Although the creature was huge, and indisputably dangerous, it was not speedy. As such, it was not a difficulty for Hotohori to make a deft rolling dodge to the right, and slice through a chunk of the mass of snakes.

Several snakes fell lifeless to the floor, and the Basilisk-creature hissed in pain, but it was otherwise unaffected, and turned with a previously undisplayed speed to lunge at him once again.

_This could _definitely _pose a problem..._

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

At some time she had been torn from the others, and was now free-falling through darkness. She was not quite sure if the constant screaming was coming from her own throat or another's, but it had been going on for some time now.

"Young Lady, partner and friend of the Priestess." The voice materialized out of the darkness without warning.

"Who are you?" Yui questioned, forcing down her rising panic.

Of course, the screaming_ would _have to stop as soon as she spoke.

"If you are truly friend to her, then you shall have to defeat _me._"

It occured belatedly to Yui that she had ceased falling, and was now standing on some form of ground in the darkness.

"Defeat you?" She said warily. "How so?"

A laugh that Yui was certain was not her own echoed through the darkness as the feature materialized from the gloom. As the malevolent eyes met hers, Yui's heart nearly seized up in her chest.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

She had long ago stopped screaming, and was staring in slack-jawed awe as her would-be savior danced fluidly around the pit, slashing at the monstrous creature with every chance he got.

_He's...amazing... _She thought distantly. _Like shining hero in one of those fantasy novels Yui reads..._

The fact that she was _in _just such a fantasy novel did not occur to her. The shallow pit was quickly beginning to fill with dead snakes, and already the basilisk had slimmed considerably, but neither fighter seemed to allow such trivial things to perturb them. Hotohori raced across the uneven and slippery pile-ups of serpants as easily as softly carpeted floors, and the basilisk pushed onward as if the layers of dead reptiles had not originally come from itself.

"You can do it! Kick its _butt_!"

She was not sure if Hotohori understood her meaning, but the basilisk certainly did, as it turned an irritated glare on her. It did not get any further time to react to her cheer, as her rescuer took the opportunity to slice a sizable chunk out of the monster's 'belly'. The creature gave a pained cry, and quickly turned its attention back to its attacker.

Moving faster than Miaka could have imagined, the beast launched itself through the air at her hero. Miaka's scream could not even escape her lips before the two combatants went tumbling into the deadly mess of blades behind them.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Miaka's scream pierced the air as the creature's writhing mass of snakes slammed into him, sending he and the unholy creature both sailing into the death trap he had crossed only minutes before. The creature seemed to have transformed in the flight, forming clawed arms and legs, and now resembled more the Qu-Dong god, Seiryuu, than a snake.

The new creature seemed oblivious to the blades slicing all around and through it, intent only on using its fangs and newly-formed claws in an attempt to shred him into tassles. After only a few moments of struggling against the creatures weight and attacks, it became painfullyobviousthat hemust find a way to defeat it quickly.

Everytime hewould attempt tododge one of the beast's attacks, he would find himselfthwarted by the constant swinging blades, and each time he resorted to parrying the creature, the blows from the creature would be so strong, he feared his teeth might shatter from the agonizing vibrations that reverberated through him. He knew his strength would only hold back a few more of the creature's attacks, and then he would be helpless, which meant he had no choice but to risk the blades, in favor of the poisonous claws and fangs of the creature.

Already his once-fine clothes were in bloody ribbons that hung limply across him, as he danced with the creature around the trap. It seemed there was no part of him that was not allowing his lifeblood to run freely to the dirt beneath his feet, his vision was beginning to haze from the pain and lack of blood, and his movements were already slowing.

_No! I will not die until I save Miaka!_

With a surge of determination, and perhaps a bit of desperation, he lunged through the trap to close the distance between him an the nigh-immortal dragon, parrying and slashing at the creature, pushing it back toward the pit with little more than sheer feirocity. The creature seemed to realize that it was being herded, and that it would lose its greatest advantage if he were able to move freely, and fought back with a hellish fury, latching its venomous claws into his arms and legsin an attempt to halt him, and snappingits great maw at his face.

He couldfeel the toxic liquid already surging through his veins, as the fanged-claws sunk deeply into his skin, and if histutorshad taught him correctly, he only had a few more minutes before it would reach his heart, and he would no longer be able to save Miaka.

_Curse this beast! Suzaku--please give me just a little more strength!_

He did not feel any immediate surge of strength, but without warning,five of the largest blades roaming the course converged simultaniously on the creature, slicing it cleanly into segments. With a cry of furious disbelief, the creature collapsed into a mass of lifeless serpants.

His breath came in labored pants as he stood finally triumphant over the creature's remains, and he found himself struggling to use his sword to support himself, as he fought to form coherent thoughts throughhis cloudy haze of pain and venom.

_Finally...it is over...now, Miaka.._

His thoughts were interrupted by a scream.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The two seemed to struggle in the death trap for an eternity, Miaka wincing or yelping everytime he would fail to dodge a deadly blade, or it seemed the creature was about to pounce him. He was fighting a losing battle that even she could recognize, everytime a blade would slice through his smooth skin, it would weaken him just a bit more...but the blades seemed to do nothing to the horrible creature.

Already crimson liquid glisten all across her rescuer, and it seemed his greatest battle at the moment was the fight to remain standing. How he could bear the pain that had to beradiating from every part of him, Miaka could not imagine...the last time shehad simply broken her ankle, she thought she would faint from the pain of it.

_How can he put himself through all of this...just for me...he could have stayed safe...could have turned around...givenup_... There was an awkward moment where she was unsurewhether to blush or cry,it quickly passed, and she found herself sobbing wholeheartedlyat what she was forcing onher beloved would-be rescuer.

_He'll die...he's going to die and it will be my fault!_

"_Stop it!_" She screamed through her gag, as the desperation within her finally imploded, and shattered her last reserves of composure. "He _can't _die! He just _can't! _Please...please let him live!"

She was not sure who she was speaking to, but she felt a surge of heat surround her at her words, and as suddenly as the battle began, the nightmarish creature finally succumbed to the blades of death.

As a cheer formed in her mind, she realized she was no longer suspended in air. In fact, the ropes were nowhere to be seen, and she was plummeting downward into the spitting cauldron.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

_Miaka! _Numbers were still displayed on the countdown, but the rope that had held her was in flames.

He did not pause to wonder how the situation had arisen, before leaping out of the trap--just barely managing to dodge one blade that had been aimed at his head, and racing toward the falling form of Miaka, his injuries and fatigue forgotten.

_She will not die!_

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

In her state of abject terror, she was not certain how long she screamed, or how far she fell, before something caught her, and she was on solid ground once more--or rather,cradled in warm arms.

As she forced herself to open one eye, her savior was just removing her gag. Her eyes immediately foung the chestnut ones of Hotohori. His hair stuck to his face and his skin was slick with blood and sweat. Deep gashes ran across his arms and chest, oozing dark blood down to the ground, and his lovely suit had been reduced to filthy rags.

The arms curled around her trembled only slightly, and the intense expression of his lovely eyes had a glazed sheen to them, that made her heart clench into a painful twist.

"Miaka..." His voice was tired and strained, but she could hear the traces of relief and joy through his voice as if he had screamed it.

"Hotohori..." She whimpered softly, placing a hand on his soft cheek. He winced almost imperceptively at her touch, but his eyes soften in appreciation. "...Why?"

He smiled down at her. "Haven't I told you before? I will never let you die, Miaka."

She gave a soft sob. "B-but look at you! What if you had died?"

He closed his eyes slowly, and his smile turned sad. "My life would mean nothing, if it meant trading yours for it."

She shook her head quickly. "_Yes it does! _You have a country that needs you!"

"I need you more." He said gravely.

With an anguished sob, she wilted against her wounded warrior, and wept into his chest. "You can't die, Hotohori! Please...I don't know what I'll _do_ if you die!"

A firm hand grasped her chin and pulled her face upward, and warm lips pressed against hers. "I will not die yet, Miaka."

She could barely make out his face through the darkness and her tears as she looked up at him, but she did not need to see him to know the sad expression that was in his eyes. It was funny, actually, when she leaned up to return his kiss, no thought was directed toward what it might be like...no anticipation or anxiety...that was all just silliness. Silliness was for when her beloved rescuer had more blood inside of his body than on the floor.

When she had almost closed the distance between them, she noticed something that gave her pause.

He blinked in surprise when she froze suddenly. "Miaka?"

"H-Hotohori..."

He narrowed his eyes, and glanced around the darkness for enemies, before looking at her questioningly. "What is it, Miaka?"

"Your...hair..."

**CH END**

**

* * *

**

AN: ZOMG! What have I _done_ to FY? Oo

Whoa...this is a total revamp of my old idea...for one, he was supposed to hug her, instead of kiss her...but then, he wasn't supposed to go through so much hell first--so..equal compensation.

And where have I stashed the poor cannon? OO Marvel at the amazing AUness! XD

Don't worry much...I promise it'll tame in a bit...really--there's a perfectly cannon explaination for all of this.

T.T Yes, it happened, I revamped it, and unfortunately, the preview scene didn't fit this chapter...next time then! ;) Any ideas what's goin on?

Where'd Yui learn his real name? Being nosey for 3 months or so will teach you lots. I doubt he was pleased at her using it, however.

What a bucket of action and drama this chapter! But it was past time for Hotohori to step up to bat as her 'main' warrior. Otherwise people will claim he's not nearly as devoted as Tamahome, didn't have to suffer, etc etc...

Oy.

_**Preview of chapter 10 **(Subject to change)_

_"Hotohori...?"_

_Her warrior did not stir._

_"No! Hotohori, please! Don't give up yet!" She shook his shoulders desperately, tears staining her cheeks freely. "Please! We'll find a doctor! Just stay awake and alive! Please, Hotohori!"_

_Nothing._

_"HOTOHORI!"_

-Yusagi Sombermoon


	10. The Seven Constellations of Suzaku

_Disclaimer: _Blah blah blah blah-blah.

**AN: **...So...as it turns out, I just can't let this fic go. I found some notes on this chapter while accidentally falling back into Fushigi Yuugi (and Hotohori/Miaka) fandom, and decided to give it another go. (This would have been done years ago, but the original draft was eaten by FFN when it first introduced timed documents. Sadly.)

* * *

_The Universe of the Four Gods_

**Chapter 10: _The Seven Constellations of Suzaku_  
**

A headache. That's the first thing to come to Nuriko's mind. There's a pun in there somewhere, but the warrior had no sense of humor to spare at the moment. One moment they'd all been riding, and the next there'd been...darkness. Laughter, Nuriko recalled that _laughter _even more than the darkness, in fact. Now...a headache. The warrior groaned and stood, stumbling a few steps in the relative darkness (though it wasn't nearly as total as the darkness from earlier) of whatever cell Nuriko had woken up in. _Still alive_... Whatever else this creature or person wanted, it'd kept them all alive. That was something.

The soft sound of a silk clad foot tapped against stone, as a figure materialized from the gloom ahead, silhouette first, and then all at once revealed in dim light.

_That's_...!

"Liujuan." The figure, nearly an identical one to the warrior, smiled. Yet...not _her _smile. Not the smile that Nuriko remembered, the one the warrior so desperately clung to even now. This...this one was cold and cruel, a twisted reflection of the old smile, as if seen through a broken mirror. "I've been waiting for you."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"You're _kidding _me!" It wasn't that Yui didn't _want _to help Miaka, hardly that! It was just..._her_? Defeat something like _this_? She...didn't even have a _weapon_, what could she do to it?

The creature laughed. At least, that's what Yui assumed it did. The body language-such as a hulking golem like this could have-suggested laughter. The hissing rumble that came from it sounded nothing like any sort of laughter she'd heard before...but the way it lifted its head and shook its shoulders...it had to be laughing.

"Am I, friend of the Priestess? Will you test me? I hold the key to the life your friend in my hand. My conditions are my own to decide, and mine alone. Are you so willing to put that to the test?"

"I never said that!" Of course she wouldn't. After all...this person-these people-this _thing_, whatever it was that had her friend, had managed to kidnap Miaka right out from the middle of them...and she'd seen first-hand the sort of power it must possess. To be able to just...swipe people up from one place and drop them into nothingness elsewhere without warning? No...of course she couldn't risk Miaka's life on hoping they might not follow through on their threat. Especially if this was just a delaying tactic to keep them away from Miaka.

And yet...at the same time...what was she supposed to do? She wasn't one of Miaka's warriors, she didn't have special powers or even any weapons. She just...studied. Studying was the only thing she was really good at anyway. Miaka was the one creative (and a little bit crazy) enough to come up with an answer to a situation like this.

_What would Miaka do now? ...Other than wait for her new personal body guards to come rescue her..._

"Perhaps the situation isn't _serious _enough for you then?" It straightened, gaining almost a full terrifying foot in height. "Tell me, would you be more motivated to show your support for your dear _friend _should her fate be matched by that of the warrior called 'Tamahome'?"

"_No!_" She knew as soon as the outburst escaped her...that was the worst reaction she could have given.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Your...your..."

His chestnut eyes, still hazy with the venom and blood loss widen slowly as he no doubt processes her words and gaze. Perhaps...perhaps it's best he doesn't look in the shape to try to look for himself. From where she is, now she can see the trail of hair that followed after the path he took to save her.

That carefully wound bun-what had mostly fallen out during the fight-it'd placed all of his hair in the right place. Or...or rather...in the worst. When he'd jumped for her, he must have...

What remained of the color in his cheeks faded, and for a few moments he simply stared down at her-well, not _at _her, really...in the shock, she didn't think he saw anything at all. Simply...felt the lack of weight of all of his long locks now that she'd pointed it out. In his rush to save her from falling-a _dirty trick_, when he'd succeeded in his mission!-he must have...must have missed one of those swinging blades just enough. His long, perfectly maintained hair...his _beloved_ hair!

_What have I done...?_

"H-Hotohori..." Her vision began to blur with tears all over again, and she lifted a shaky hand to the remnants of his hair. Less than shoulder-length, and hopelessly crooked, now, if they made it even, he'd have about as much as Yui. And...all because...because she couldn't rescue herself? "I'm so-"

His hand clasped gently over her cheek, and he shook his head, offering a faint, sad smile. "A small price to pay. I would...pay any price...to see..." His voice weakened and broke, and with a sickening suddenness, his arms fell away from her, devoid of their usual strength.

"Ho-_Hotohori!_"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"_Tch_. You'll have to do better than _this_ if you think you're going to stand a _chance _of surviving the day." The first 'trial' that stood before him...was nothing. Another empty room like the one he'd started in, except this one had golden ryos scattered all across the ground. Clearly, this was meant to be some sort of play on his 'greed'...but if this _monster _thought it would distract him with something so stupid and _pointless_ after _murdering Yui_, going from room to room would be as simple as walking from one end of them to another.

Which was just fine with him: his goal wasn't the end of this course, his goal was getting his hands on the person at the end and _tearing them apart_.

As he began to take his first step, determination and fury burning brightly through his _'ogre'_ sign, the kidnapper had the audacity to _laugh_. "Oh, I don't _think so_. As thick as you are, I don't think you'll make it through the first room."

He growled in irritation and was about to respond-tempted to try attacking the walls again just to see if it might be hidden in one of those-when something caught his eye. Just the barest flicker, but...he gasped and froze, foot hovering barely an inch over where he'd meant to place it.

Directly on gold. All of the gold had been painted and scattered with dirt. The dirt, in the mean time, had been sprayed with some sort of golden paint. In his haste and anger, he'd almost missed it and walked right into the trap! Quickly, before he could lose his balance or be tripped, he shifted his stance and hopped to the nearest patch of golden-dirt instead. Of course..._of course_ that was much more difficult than stepping on the 'dirt'. The patches were only the size of single ryo, after all. It took supreme balance to stay put without wavering into the clutter on the ground, and would take even greater calculations to ensure he could safely jump ahead to the next spot.

_Damn! I almost..._

"Ah, well...too soon spoke." The voice tutted. "No matter. You'll be given no more free tips. How do you suppose you'll make it through the next without an _angel on your shoulder?_" The voice _cackled_, and then faded once more to silence. Which was fine. He was in no mood to _speak _to it, and he had no doubt it was still watching him all the same, ensuring he played by its rules.

Trick foiled, of course, and with its hand shown, it would be no difficulty at all for him now. Nimble as he was, it wasn't as difficult as the voice obviously would have liked for him to cross the room now, hopping from tiny island of dirt to tiny island until he reached the door. Now that he knew the sort of tricks and tactics to look out for, he wouldn't be so easily tricked again.

_I'm coming...please...if you're still there, Yui, please just hold out a little longer..._

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"_No_!"

The figure laughed, a wonderful, musical laugh of a child...completely wrong and out of place in the adult body it originated from, and reached out to touch their identical hair. "Oh, my dearest Liujuan, isn't this what it was all for? Everything you've ever done? The penance you serve, isn't it _for me_? Aren't you ready to finally be _forgiven_?"

Nuriko recoiled away from the touch, and slapped away the phantom hand. "You...you're _not her_. Whatever spirit you are, you're _not her_. Get away from me!"

The woman's expression melted to something grieved and compassionate, as she reached up to place cold hands over Nuriko's cheeks. "Do you really not recognize me...? After so long...have you truly forgotten?" Tears welled in her eyes, shining even in the darkness, and a thin trail of blood tracked down from painted lips to sculpted chin. Her voice softened to barely more than an echo as she spoke. "...Have I...become...not even a memory any longer? After what you did to me...how could you _replace me_ and forget?"

_No...no...that isn't it! Everything...it's to remember her, not to forget her. And-the real her would know that!_

Wouldn't she?

The phantom dropped its head then, and began to softly weep. "...To be forgotten...is that...my fate after all, my dear Liujuan? To be replaced so easily and so quickly?"

_It's a lie. It's all a lie. This isn't Kang-Lin!_

A teardrop fell through the image of Kang-Lin, and the warrior pulled the image into as fierce an embrace as a phantom could ever allow.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

_It's pointless_...

She gave a yelp of pain as she bounced across the invisible floor, knocked back by the force of the creature's counter-attack. _No matter what I do...I can't even hurt it. I'm not strong enough, and I'm never going to be, no matter how hard I try._

The great hulking creature lashed out and struck her in her abdomen, kicking her further across the nothingness. Pain lanced across her arm as she rolled at an odd angle, and she screamed, frustration and helplessness mingling with the sharp ache of her torn muscle. _How can I be so useless? I can't...even save the people I love. I can't even help. Maybe...maybe that's why Miaka has her Emperor and I..._

_Miaka always..._

An abnormally thick hand gathered up a fistful of her dress, tearing the hem of her collar as it lifted her from the floor, and she felt herself lifted up off of the 'ground'...and brought up to the creature close enough finally to see the misshapen and twisted face of...of...

"N-_Nuriko_?"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

For a few moments, he thought the challenge of the second room might actually be the darkness. Expecting him to traverse and avoid obstacles without any light to see those and a strict rule not to touch them? Yeah, that sounded like the same sort of dirty trick a person-a _thing_-like this would use.

He scoffed. With the rage and fighting spirit burning in him like this, though...the light emanating from him would be more than enough to light his path. He snarled in irritation and shook his head as he took a step forward and noted nothing in his path. Did it expect him to give up at the sight of darkness? To panic and do something stupid that would set off the trap itself? Then it seriously underestimated just how _pissed off _he was.

"That's two rooms! How many more of these are you going to waste my time with?" He felt sick with all of his bottled up rage and impatience. He shouldn't be doing _tests _and _puzzles _when Yui's life...when she might be...

A whimper broke the silence of the room behind him as he touched the far door, and light flooded the room.

"B-big...big brother..."

He froze, horror slowly filtering through the heady rush of fury and self-righteousness that flooded his mind up until that voice spoke. _No..._

Another, feminine voice spoke then, weak and soft. "Y-you...you came..."

_It can't..._

His hand dropped from the door, and he stared straight ahead, transfixed, terrified to turn around and see what this..._monster _prepared for him.

_It can't be real..._

Blood splashed across the walls and floor. His...his brothers...and his sisters...Jie-Lian held one tiny hand up to him, eyes pleading, and Chung-Jing attempted to crawl across the broken dirt of the floor...but...with so much blood lost, he'd never have that sort of strength.

He was halfway across the room toward the closest-Jie-Lian-before the words of the entity caught up with him.

_Touch only the walls, floor, and doors_

No...

"No..._no_! Not _this_!" He couldn't! He _wouldn't _be expected to turn and walk away! What if...what if they weren't...

If they were really...

A hissing laugh drowned out the soft pleading of his conscious siblings. "Oh, yes. They are so _very_ real. And you can save them, if you choose. Take them...and you will be released with them. In exchange for the priestess and the emperor, _go free!_"

His hand shook, outstretched...just out of reach still of his youngest sister.

_My family_.._.my family...or..._

He glanced over his shoulder toward the door, sitting just ajar now, promising the room ahead...to save Miaka, Hotohori, Nuriko, and...Yui...to revenge for everything this creature of a person had _done_, or...just one touch, and the door would close forever. He could never save them, and it all would have been in vain.

The kingdom's leader _and _it's hope...and..._Yui_...he'd be betraying it all. Or-or he'd betray his family. The reason he did all of this in the first place, the people he cared for, the people who mattered most _to him_.

"Of course..." The voice laughed. "Of course, I might be lying. They may simply be illusions! Take little Jie-Lian's hand, and you may damn your empire for nothing. Or, perhaps...her last memory will be of her dear older brother turning away from her for a person she's never met."

"_You_..." He grit his teeth, outstretched hand balling into a fist. "_Don't you dare use her name!_"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"_Hotohori_!"

He looked...he looked so frail...he looked so pale like this, so small and weak, and it was _all her fault_! _This isn't-no, this isn't how it's supposed to be! It can't be like this!_

She gripped his shoulder and shook him violently, _desperately_. "No! No, no, _no!_ Please, Hotohori, _please_, you can't! You can't _do this to me! You promised!_"

Her final word erupted into a sob, and she fell over him, draping herself around him, willing her heat, her life, to somehow seep into him instead. _It...it isn't right! It can't be! He's not supposed to sacrifice himself for me like this! I'm-I'm supposed to be the one saving _him_! _"You can't die...you can't _die_, Hotohori..." She shook her head, words broken up between desperate sobs. "I'm supposed to...I'm supposed to summon Suzaku for you and-and-I can't choose the wishes! You have to help me! _Please!_"

A cool hand pressed to her cheek so lightly she almost didn't notice it. A surge of hope so strong her chest hurt rushed through her as she lifted her head-could he...could it have worked? Her willing and her hoping? His brown eyes were distant, almost unseeing now, but...still he smiled, so faint...so tender. "Mi...aka..."

She gasped and leaned forward, cutting off whatever else he had to say in a sudden kiss. There! _There_! He couldn't die! Not now, not like this! Not...not if she...kissed him. It didn't...fantasy stories...didn't work that way...

He tasted of blood and something acidic and tangy. It wasn't like him at all. It wasn't how she imagined the kiss was supposed to be. The hand on her cheek slipped gently to her hair, fingers simply...settling amongst the strands there, too weak to do any semblance of anything else. Through that horrible haze, she could see the warmth she thought...the warmth she thought he might reserve only for her still in those brown eyes of his.

When she spoke, it was only a whisper. "Hotohori...you can't...you have to...hold on...okay? I need you to hold on. I can't...you can't...t-try to make me your empress if you're not here."

His smile is so faint she might just be imagining it. "No...I suppose...I must be sure...to live to win your heart first..."

The smile she attempted to answer with broke down into another sob, but she nodded all the same. "R-right! B-because Yui's gonna have words with you if you think you can just...sweep me off and keep me without a fight. So you have to...you have to keep going."

He sighed softly in what she thought might be relief. "Then I...yes...must..."

He closed his eyes a moment, sighing once more, and...and...trailed off.

"H-Hotohori...?"

Her warrior did not stir.

"No! Hotohori, _please_!" She shook his shoulders once more, vision blurred with tears, voice crackling with her raw, painful sobs. "Please! Please, we'll find a Doctor, just _stay with me! _Please!_ Don't leave me!_"

Nothing...nothing at all.

"_Hotohori_!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"...You understand now?" Kang-Lin smiled, somehow an even further gulf from her usual smile now, even in her gentle hopefulness. "That is why this must happen. Because of that, I...I need you to help me with them. Please, my dearest Liujuan, help me now." She took a step backward then, and held up one perfectly shaped hand. "Take my hand, and we will set right the Priestess and those presumptuous enough to travel with her. It's justice, Liujuan. You know it in your heart."

Nuriko stared down at that slim hand, flickering just slightly in the gloom, warm as her hands ought to have been, naturally delicate and soft in a way so many tried their hardest simply to mimic. An invitation...an invitation to make things right, to atone for mistakes and honor Kang-Lin's memories.

...But not by betraying comrades and loved ones.

"...No. If you were my sister...Kang-Lin would _never _wish harm on _anyone_!"

Her smile vanished in an instant to a look of irritation. "How..._irritating_. Very well then, if you've made your choice..."

That outstretched hand lanced forward then, sharpening with its speed and shape, piercing flesh and bone with an ease that was so terribly foreign to the gentle hands of the true Kang-Lin. Gripping...

_My...heart...!_

"If you won't cooperate, then I will find you a better use, my dear _Liujuan._"

_N-No!_

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

This...this wasn't a _choice_. What sort of a monster would he be to turn his back on his family? To give in to the demands of something so vile as to do this? Damn his obligation to Suzaku, his country, his..._he wouldn't_ turn away from his family. There'd be another way. He'd save them, and he'd find another way to help his friends. He'd never made any vows except to his family, anyway.

Decision made, he took another step toward his sister, growling in frustration and fury. When he found the person responsible for this...he'd _kill them_.

A moment before his hand touched the outstretched one of Jie-Lian, the memory of the creature's earlier words surged up to him. _You must face your fears and travel through these rooms without touching anything._

He froze once more.

_My...fears...that means...  
_

Why go through this trouble to stop _him_, when anyone who did this much research would know they should be trying to stop the _emperor_, not him? But...maybe...

_If this is an illusion..._

He stumbled backward, closing his eyes and gripping his hands into fists. "You..."

"I think you should make your choice soon, warrior...I've almost grown bored, and that means time is _running out_. Decide, or I'll be forced to find entertainment with your friends..." The voice laughed again. "Although...I suppose you won't mind, will you? Given how easily you'll abandon them! very well then, I suppose I'll have to-"

He kicked through the wall the voice seemed to be emanating from. Or..._into_ it, at least. The force of the blow only left an impact crater in the wall, rather than breaking through to the room beyond...or wherever that voice had to be coming from. He expected as much, really, though he _had _hoped it might get through...but at least the crash brought an end to the voice.

"Next time," he growled, as he turned toward the door once more, steeling himself with an internal mantra of _they're not real, none of it is real,_ "I promise that'll be _you_."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"_Nuriko_?" It...couldn't be, could it? _It's not..._

...possible wasn't a word she should have been using while trapped in a magical book version of China. If she accepted the existence of magic and gods and fantastic worlds (she had to now, didn't she?) she didn't know what rules applied at all. Magical hulking transformations of incredibly strong and unpleasant allies were just as likely as suddenly getting dragged into a plane of darkness with a sense of gravity and a ground, weren't they?

For a few moments, she expected _something _from 'Nuriko', some sort of a boast or a sneer or...something. Instead, the 'Nuriko' simply stared up at her blankly, although...with the gloom of wherever they were, any subtlety of expression would have been lost to Yui anyway. When it-she-did speak, it was as if Yui had never spoken at all. "If you won't even try, then I don't have a reason to drag this on any longer. What a useless friend you are."

_Useless_..._  
_

She grit her teeth and closed her eyes, readying herself for...whatever would come next. Maybe...'Nuriko' was right. After all, why would it come down to _her _to defend Miaka, when her friend already had three (well, two now) super-powerful warriors to do it for her? And...one was an emperor of an entire country, who wanted to sweep her off and make her his empress. What could she provide, except that her need to go home had gotten Miaka captured in the first place?

Maybe...it would be best if...

Despite the strangeness of this place and her eyes being shut, she could still feel when the hulking Nuriko flung her, rather than do anything else. When she collided with the 'ground', she could almost feel tiles, and her impact echoed faintly. She groaned, and pressed a hand to her head to soothe the sudden ringing in it. _Could this place...could I be in a room of some sort?_

She reached out hesitantly with her other hand across the floor, wincing at the surge of pain when she twisted slightly and aggravated something bruised. _If this is a room...then...there must be things in here. Walls...an exit...something!_

The figure of Nuriko laughed once again, although...Yui thought it might have been to itself, rather than her. "So _easy_! All that fuss about 'other worlds', but you're nothing without Tamahome and His Majesty to protect you, are you? Neither of you are anything special at all." She was distracted attempting to be subtle about her searching, so she couldn't really look up at the figure of Nuriko, but she could hear the woman's voice getting louder, and just _barely_, she thought she could hear the scuffle of footsteps on stone. "Well...all the better for me. When the both of you are gone, _I'll _be the only one left to comfort Tama-baby and His Majesty!"

_Come on_...

The laughter of the woman loomed right over her now, she must have been preparing to strike, to use that monstrous strength of hers to end everything at once-or worse-but...there was something cool just brushing her finger tips...

_If I can just reach...!_

Her hand clasped around what felt like a fallen candle-stand of some sort just as another hand grabbed the hem of her dress and hauled her up off the ground. She didn't think-didn't really have time to-all that really mattered was that she _had to stop this woman_. Whatever happened to twist Nuriko's form-if in fact this wasn't just...some sort of natural thing Nuriko had been hiding all along-she couldn't just _give up_ and let Miaka be hurt...or Tamahome...

_Now!_ She swung her new-found weapon at the form of Nuriko, helped by the momentum of suddenly being lifted from the floor, and felt the impact reverberate through her own arm shortly before the woman cried out and let her fall to the ground. "I'll _never let you_!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Please...please..._you can't_-"

He hadn't answered her at all. He _wouldn't_. Nothing she did would get any sort of reaction out of him at all, no matter how hard she tried...and...his breathing was _so shallow_. He'd even stopped entirely once or twice now for a few moments. How much longer did he have? What could they do? In the middle of the wilderness, far away from any kind of doctors at all...and they couldn't even help _Yui_, could they do anything for Hotohori even if he were there?

Maybe...maybe...her world! Her world could save him, it _had_ to, because _someone had to sa__ve him_!

She fisted her hands in his shirt and hunched over him, as if she could protect him or just...keep him by holding on. "Someone...someone please...he _can't die_!"

"Is this the extent of your power, Lady of Legends? To look to others for help?" The voice that materialized behind her...was that same voice who'd held her captive! _No! But he should be dead!_

She straightened quickly and turned toward it, holding out her arms in a feeble attempt to shield Hotohori from any future attacks by this..._monster_. "Y-you! _Why are you doing this_?"

The voice was silent, before a dark figure stepped into view, golden eyes looking down at her with an expression of...disappointment? "A priestess that does nothing but let the ones devoted to her protect her at any cost is unworthy to call herself the priestess."

Who _was _this? Some...some sort of...zealot? Could that be it? Had...had Hotohori...because...? She frowned, and stood to her feet, legs shaking from the emotions rampaging through her. "I...don't know what you heard, b-but...I never _asked _to be called 'priestess'!"

The figure scoffed and shook its head. "Yet you eagerly took the title when it was offered, you allowed others to bow and to look up to you as a _savior_, and you happily allow others to _die-_"

"_NO!_" She'd screamed without even realizing it as soon as she'd realized what the other was saying-_he's not going to die! He can't! _Her hands dropped to her sides as she shook her head violently, fighting the urge to step forward and shake this person until they _realized_, until...until they undid all of this and let Hotohori go-until they _fixed him_. "You're wrong! I never want anyone hurt for _me_. I don't...I never wanted _this_! I-If I could, I'd trade places with him, _I_'_d _be the one suffering to protect _him_!"

The figure laughed. "You would give up your wishes and your promise to protect this country for something so pointless?"

He lip trembled, and she bit it hard to keep herself from breaking down. No...no, maybe...this kidnapper was the only one around. He was the only one who _might _be able to help, and she had to _try_. "W-what...what kind of a priestess would I be...if I let the country lose its emperor? There's...there's no point in the three wishes if he's not there to choose them, if he's dead...th-then _I'd rather never have come here!_"

The man was silent for a few moments, before he held up a hand. Beneath it, three images shimmered into view. In one, Tamahome limped through a room, beaten and bloody, stumbling with an intense determination she'd never seen on him before. In another, Nuriko stood transfixed and horrified, as a mirror image seemed to be...curling around her and melding into her-almost as if her reflection were slowly absorbing her into itself, and Yui...Yui skidded across a dark floor, almost as beaten looking as Tamahome, clinging to a dented and bloody candle-stand.

_All of my friends_..._they're all...are they all...doing this for _me_?_

Her vision blurred with tears all over again, and she shook her head. "S-stop..._stop it!_" Her hands balled into fists again, and she charged the man, reaching out to grab his cloak as if she could just..._force _him to listen. "_Let them go!_ Take me and _let them go_!"

"Why would I do that, when I have all of you already?"

He was...of course he was right, but she couldn't just _give up_! She had to _try_. "_Please! _Y-you don't need them if you have me, right? I could be a hostage! I wouldn't even fight or try to escape, a-and then you could ask for anything at all you wanted from Hotohori or Hong-Nan, right? Please, you _have to let them go_!"

For a few moments, the figure was silent. When it finally spoke, it sounded almost contemplative. "If you'll really do anything...there is _one thing _that I will trade for their lives. But you must agree to it _first."_

She tensed as hope and dread warred inside of her. _One thing...? Could-could he mean...? I have to say yes, no matter what it is. I have to! But...wh-what if he makes me his maid, or slave? What if I have to be his cook, or...a farmhand, or...could he-he couldn't want..._

Her thoughts were interrupted by someone-him-bopping her unkindly over the head. "Hey, _listen to m_y _demand_!"

"Ow! But you didn't even say what it was!"

"I _did_! You just weren't listening!"

She glared up at him and shook her head. _My head hurts, but...I'm not gonna let go! Not until he promises to let them go first!_

After a moment, he gave a disgusted sigh and shook his head. "I _said_-I will let them go, but only if you take their place and their pain."

"Their...pain...?"

She could almost make out a smile under the dark cowl of the cloak. "I will heal them and let them go...but only if you agree to take their injuries yourself."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

He'd be grateful for the allowance to lean against a wall without being 'disqualified' if he weren't _definitely _going to kill that sadistic voice as soon as he made it through this room. The last room...he'd been flung violently from platform to platform across an unsettling void like some sort of...falling rock down a sheer cliff, knocked back and forth by the abruptly shifting walls.

He'd twisted his ankle on one landing, and broken something in his shoulder in a different impact...but if that creature thought the trap had somehow weakened him...it could just keep on thinking that right up until he ripped its heart out of its body. Possibly with his injured hand.

_I'm not giving up now. If I did...it would make that choice pointless. It'd be letting this guy...get away with it._

He grit his teeth and glared ahead as he pushed off from the wall and reached for the door.

"_Last one_."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

_Take their injuries yourself._

"I...can do that?"

The figure gave a small nod. "Oh, of course. It would be a simple matter. And in exchange, I will release them, healthy and safe. I'll even give your emperor the _antidote_."

_Hotohori_... She glanced back at him, still just barely breathing...still not responding. If he could, she knew he'd be shouting at her, jumping between them and demanding she say no. Well-actually she didn't _know_, but...she thought he would. That's the sort of person he was.

And she...

She'd make the same decision even then. _I'm sorry, Hotohori_..._but you...I'm not any good for Hong-Nan without you, anyway. I wouldn't even know how to gather all the warriors and summon Suzaku to get the wishes. _

She bit her lip and held out her arms again, bracing herself. "_Okay_! I'll do it! Leave them alone and I'll do it! Zap me!"

He was silent a few moments. "You would give up your quest? You would give up your destiny and your wishes for this?"

"_Of course I would_! Wishes...all the wishes in the world don't matter if you don't have the people you love to share them with! So...stop waiting and _do it_!"

"...Very well."

She closed her eyes, trying to brace herself again, but...no amount of bracing could prepare herself for the sensation of a dozen blades suddenly striking her wherever they'd sliced through Hotohori all at once. Nor the burning weakness of the poison surging through her, or the excruciating impacts on her shoulder and ribs as bones shattered by invisible forces, and something horrible and frozen dug painfully into her heart.

All the suffering of her friends...all of the things they went through for _her_, it hurt _so much_.

An inhuman scream tore from her throat as the burning raged higher, filtering through every part of her, sizzling like fire in her veins, and...

She jerked awake with a powerful shriek, and stared at the clearing around her-surrounded by the camp and the (until just now) sleeping forms of her friends.

_A...n-night...mare_?

**CH END**


End file.
